Egyptian Arabic forms of address

Introduction List of forms of address

Introduction
Egyptian Arabic has many different ways to address people, varying according to age, gender, and social class of the person being addressed. Note: If you are directly calling or addressing someone, you must use the vocative particle the word

(ya) before their name or title. This is like how the word "o" used to be used in English

("O Hamlet, speak no more!"): a word that came directly before the name/title of the person you were talking to. But while "o" is no longer used in English, "ya" is used all the time in Arabic. It is not optional; you need to use it when talking to people.

How are you, Ahmed?

(izzayyak ya Ahmed?)

Where are you, Leila?

(inti fein ya Leila?)

I'm at your service, sir/ma'am.

(ana taHt amrak ya fendim)

Also note that if you use a title with someone's name, you should use their first name, not their last.

Where shall I take you, Miss Maryam?

(awaSSilik fein ya aanesa Maryam?)

Good morning, Professor Safaa.

(SabaaH il-xeir ya ustaaza Safaa')

Keep in mind that in Arabic, titles in reference to one's profession are very commonly used, more so than in English. A doctor (either medical or someone with a PhD) would be addressed

as

doktoor; a general in the army, even if retired, would be addressed as

lewa; an

engineer would be addressed as

mohandis or

bamohandis; and so forth.

List of forms of address

I've tried to arrange this list roughly according to class, starting with the words used to address the upper-class and moving on to the words used to address those lower on the social ladder.

(efendim), sir/ma'am

The best general Arabic equivalent to the English "sir/ma'am." From the Turkish "efendim."

(HaDritak [masc.] - HaDritik [fem.])

The formal/respectful equivalent of inta/inti, similar to the French "vous." This would be used not only with someone older than you, but also with people like your boss, a judge, university professor, police officer, etc. You wouldn't use it with "ya"; you'd simply plug it into a sentence where you'd ordinarily say enta/enti. Like

Or it can take the place of an object pronoun, like

(izzayy HaDritak?), How are you?

(mumkin as'al HaDritak su'aal?), Can I ask you a question? (sa3adtak - sa3adtik), Your Honor

Similar to HaDritak but more formal/respectful, and less commonly used, especially among the middle class.

-
(beih) and

(ustaaz - ustaaza), lit. "professor"

Commonly used to address white-collar/educated men or women.

(baaa)

Both of these are used to address people respectfully. (They are from the Turkish "bey" and "pasha.") However, a middle-class Egyptian probably wouldn't use either too much except with for example a government official they were trying to butter up. Servants, on the other hand,

-
might use or women.

to address their employer.

(Habiibi - Habibti), my dear

Commonly used to address family members (parents, siblings, etc.), children, and friends, including friends of the same sex. It's worth noting that the masculine form, Habiibi, is often used to address

(madaam), Mrs.

From the French "madame," this word can be used to respectfully address a married woman, usually from the middle/upper class.

"mademoiselle."

(madamwazeil) or

(aanesa), Miss

Used to respectfully address a young unmarried woman. The former is from the French

(TanT), aunt

From the French "tante," this word can be used to respectfully address an older woman. (3amm), paternal uncle

Can be used to address someone like a family friend, or someone who may be older and from a lower social class (like a doorman or a man selling food at a market). Or it can be used very casually to address a friend (this is usually between young men).

(kaptin), lit. "captain"

Used to politely address a young man.

(HaDrit iZ-ZaabiT), officer

Used to politely addres police officers. (Hagg - Hagga), lit. someone who has gone on the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca)

Used to address old, usually working-class, men or women. It's best to be sparing in your use of this, especially if you don't know if the person you're addressing is Christian or not, and also since it will make people feel old. (rayyis), lit. "president"

Can be used to address working-class men. And taxi drivers use it a lot when they ask strangers on the street for directions "Ya rayyis! Fein aari3 (whatever)?"

(osTa)

Used to address working-class people who are trained in a skiled trade, like car mechanics or carpenters. Commonly used to address taxi drivers. From the Turkish "usta." (mi3allim)

May generally be used to address a lower/working-class man, particularly those in professions like butchers or bakers. Or may be more specifically used to address a working-class man in a position of authority, like a business owner, foreman or gang leader.

Greetings and polite expressions in Egyptian Arabic

I tried to include as many useful greetings and courteous expressions as I could on this page, focusing on the expressions used in Egypt (so when I say "Colloquially people say such-and-such," I'm referring to Egypt). In some cases, I gave a standard variant and then detailed the colloquial usage below. Also, I gave everything in the masculine form, just because it's easier than including the feminine and plural forms for everything. Do make sure to memorize the proper responses to each expression; it can be quite awkward if someone tells you something nice and you don't know what to say back! If you don't know the right response, no one will crucify you or anything, but if you do know what to say, it can make a really nice impression. Conveniently, usually the main verb in the response comes from the same root as the main word used in the first expression for example, "ma3a s-salma," "salmtak," "Humdillh 3as-salma" and "sallimli 3a...," which all have words from the s-l-m root. They all have the same response, "allh ysallimak," with another s-l-m root word. So if you keep that in mind, it helps in remembering the right response. Welcome; hello: Response: You can say can also say

(ahlan wa sahlan)

(ahlan bk) when welcoming someone (ex. to your country or home). And you

to mean just "hello."

Welcome; hello: Response:

(marHaban) (marHaban bk)

can be used in much the same way as

pronunciation of "marHaba." One colloquial response is welcomes).

, and it has a more colloquial (marHabtein - lit. two

is not really used in Egypt outside of tourist signs and so forth, but in other

places like the Gulf and Levant, it's used frequently to say hello.

Hello:

Response:

(as-salmu 3aleikum) - lit. Peace be upon you (w3aleikum as-salm)

A common greeting used by Muslims. You can also add

(waraHmatu

llhi wabaraktu - and God's mercy and blessings) to the end.

Good morning: Response:

(SabH al-xeir)

(SabH an-nr)

There are more colloquial variants on

(SabH il-'iTa - lit. morning of cream),

that you can use, like

(SabH il-full - lit. morning of

jasmine), and

(SabH il-ward - lit. morning of rose). They're a little "baladi" (i.e.

used more by the rural and lower classes), but you can still use them to add some color to your speech.

Good evening: Response:

You can also say

(mas' al-xeir) (mas' an-nr) , (keif Hlak)

, and

here too.

How are you?: Response: hear (izzayyak). You can also say, things?" or response would be Humdulillh" on its own. How are things going?: eih);

(bexeir al-Humdulillh) - Fine, thank God

can be said in a colloquial context too, but in Egypt it's much more common to (izzayy il-aHwaal?), "How are

(izzayy iS-SiHHa), "How's [your] health?" A common colloquial (kwayyis al-Humdulillh), "Good, thank God," or just "al-

(eih axbr);

(axbrak

(3amil/3amla eih)

These expressions are kind of like "What's up?" as it's used in the U.S.; you don't really proceed to explain what's going on in your life and don't say

, maf axbr, "No news,"

like I did once; people will laugh at you! If you want to say "Nothing new," you can say

la gedd. People usually just say something like "al-Humdulillh" or

(kwayyis,

"Good") or

(kullu tamm, "Everything's fine").

Nice to meet you: Response:

(furSa sa3da) - lit. Happy chance

(ana l-as3ad) - lit. I am happier

Good night: Response:

(tiSbaH 3ala xeir) - lit. Wake up healthy

(winta min ahlo)

Goodbye:

Response:

(ma3a s-salma) - said to the person leaving; lit. Go in peace

(allh ysallimak) - said by the person leaving; lit. May God protect you

Often when people are leaving they just say "salm" or "as-salmu 3aleikum" and those remaining say "ma3a s-salma." Used when s.o. leaves on a trip:

Bon voyage: Response:

(reHla sa3da)

(rabbina ygbak bis-salma) - lit. May God bring you safely (rabbina yiwaSSalak bis-salma) - lit. May God deliver you safely (tirH witg bis-salma) - lit. Go and come safely

(allh ysallimak)

Used to welcome s.o. arriving from a trip or greet s.o. who has just recovered from an illness:

Response: Welcome to Egypt: Response:

(Humdilla 3as-salma) - lit. Thank God for (your) safety (allh ysallimak)

(nawwart maSr) - lit. You have lit up Egypt

(da nrak kifya), lit. Your light is enough - or

(maSr menawwara bk), lit. Egypt is lit up by you - or

(menawwara bi-ahlaha), lit. It is lit up by its people

You can also say "Menawwara" on its own to welcome someone anywhere.

You honor us with your visit: Response:

(ukran) or

(xaTwa 3azza) - lit. dear step

(allh yxallk)

Get well soon: Response:

(salmtak) or

(allh yifk) - lit. "May God heal you"

(allh ysallimak) - this is the response to (ukran)

. However,

Please: Please:

has no set response; you can just say

Please, go ahead:

(min faDlak)

(law samaHt) - can also be used to get ex. a waiter's attention (itfaDDal) - an invitation to sit, enter a room, take something, etc.

Thank you:

(ukran) or a stronger variant,

A thousand thanks:

Another way to say "Thank you" is variant variant

(alf ukr) (mutaakkir), which also has a feminine

(mutaakkira) and plural (mutaakkrn).

"Thank you very much," you can say

(mersi) is another colloquial alternative. To say (ukran gazlan) or

(mutaakkir 'awi).

Also, when someone compliments you or something you did, you can tell them,

\
Thank you: Response:

(ukran/mersi/allh yxallk), followed by

(da min zoo'ak), lit.

"That's from your taste." This is used much like the English "Thank you, you're too kind."

(kattar xeirak) - lit. May God increase your good fortune (xeirak saabi') - lit. Your goodness preceded mine

Thank you: Response:

(teslam iidak) - lit. (May God) bless your hand

(wa-iidak) - lit. And your hand

Used to thank a cook for a great meal, or more generally to thank someone for a present.

You're welcome:

(3afwan)

Other ways to say "You're welcome": was nothing").

(il-3afw) or

(il-3afw 3ala eih, "It

Sorry:

(sif)

Another way to say "Sorry" is as

(mut'asif), which follows the same pattern of variants

Pardon me: Excuse me:

(la mo'axza) or

(ba3d iznak or 3an iznak)

Used to express admiration:

(ma a' allh) - lit. God has willed it.

Used to refer to events taking place in the future:

(in a' allh) - lit. if God

wills This is used a lot, anytime you talk about something taking place in the future. "See you tonight in a' allh." "I'll do it tomorrow in a' allh." "Can you finish the report by Thursday?" "In a' allh." And so on.

Used when you see s.o. with a new haircut: Response:

(na3man)

(allh yin3am 3aleik)

Greeting to a Muslim who has just finished praying: Response: (gama3an)

(Haraman)

Bon appetit:

(bil-hana wi-ifa) - lit. with pleasure and health

Response:

(allh yihannk)

Said by a guest to the host at the end of a meal: dayman 3mir) - lit. May you always prosper Response:

or

(dayman or

(dmit Haytak) - lit. May your life last long

When someone sneezes: The sneezer says: Someone else: The sneezer:

(il-Hamdu lillh) - lit. Praise to God

(yarHamkum llh) - lit. May God have mercy on you (pl.)

(yarHamna wa-yarHamkum (wa-

yafir lana wa-lakum)) - lit. May He have mercy on us and you (and forgive us and you) This is what Muslims in Egypt say when someone sneeezes. The optional addition that some people say. "Very gladly" responses to requests:

part is an

(bikull sirr) - lit. with all pleasure (3ala l-3ein wir-rs) - lit. on the eye and head (min 3eini di w3eini di) - lit. from this eye and this eye

The last two are pretty "baladi," but still good to know.

Say hello to (s.o.) for me; give them my regards: Response:

(sallimli 3a...)

(allh ysallimak)

Good luck:

(rabbena ywaffa'ak) - lit. May God make you succeed (bit-tawf' in a' allh)

The standard way to say "Good luck" is

(HaZZ sa3d).

Happy birthday:

(3d mld sa3d)

This is how you would say "Happy birthday" literally, but people actually just use their local variant of

(see below).

Used for birthdays and all kinds of holidays:

(kulle sana winta

Tayyib) - lit. May you (and your family) be well every year. Response:

(winta Tayyib)

This is the Egyptian variant of the standard bexeir).

(kull 3m wa-antum

Happy Ramadan: Response:

(allhu akram)

(ramaDn karm)

This is the greeting used for Ramadan in Egypt, but often used in other areas.

(ramaDn mubrak) is

Happy Eid: Response:

(3d mubrak) (allh yibrik fk)

This is the greeting used for the Muslim Eids (holidays/festivals): Eid al-Fitr, at the end of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha.

Congratulations:

(mabrk) or a stronger variant, (alf mabrk)

A thousand congratulations: Response:

(3o'blak)

(allh yibrik fk)

I wish the same for you:

Response: no set response, but you could say

(allh yxallk) - God keep you.

Can be used when someone congratulates you on any happy occassion (a wedding, new baby, promotion, etc.) to wish them the same good fortune. However, you would want to be tactful when using it; for example, if you'd just had a baby and a friend who couldn't have children congratulated you, it would be better not to say "3o'blik" to her.

Be strong: Response:

(idd Hailak) (i-idda 3ala-llah)

This expression can be used as a condolence, or for encouragement anytime someone is about to face a challenging event, like a test or job interview.

May his/her spirit/memory remain in your life: Response:

(il-ba'iyya fi Haytak)

(Haytak il-ba'iya)

Another condolence. Some people may view this as sacrilegious see here, for example so you may want to stick with

if you want to be really safe.

Only God is eternal: Response:

(al-baq' lillh)

(wa-ne3ma billh)

A condolence that's standard Arabic but also sometimes used in Egypt by Muslims. It's simply a reminder that everyone dies.

Asking questions in standard and Egyptian Arabic

Asking informational questions

o o o o o

What/which Where Why/when Who How/how much

Asking yes/no questions Asking "alternative" questions Additional notes on questions in Egyptian Arabic

Asking informational questions

What/which First, note that in standard Arabic, question words generally come at the beginning of a question, while in colloquial Arabic, these words usually (but not necessarily always) come at the end.

Standard Arabic what

Egyptian Arabic

which

| ( maa/maada) ( ayya)

( eih) - - ( anhu

[masc.] - anhi [fem.] - anhum [pl.])

and

are used in different types of questions; the former is used in questions that do not

have verbs, while the latter is used in questions that do have verbs. Frequently the pronoun corresponding to the noun being asked about.

is followed by

, on the other hand, is fairly

straightforward, and is used anytime you would say "what" in English.

Standard Arabic What's your name? What's the difference between us and them? What do you want? What shall I tell you?

Egyptian Arabic

( ma ismuka?) ) ( (ma [huwwa] lfarq beinna wa-beinhum?)

( ismak
eih?)

(eih il-far'
beinna wa-beinhum?)

( maada
turiid?)

( inta
3aayiz eih?)

( maada
aquul lak?)

( a'ollak eih?)

In standard Arabic, you can put

can be used with a pronoun suffix to mean "which of..." In Egyptian Arabic,

before a noun to ask "which [noun]..."

Standard Arabic Which one of them do you prefer? Which team do you support?

Egyptian Arabic

( ayyahum
tufaDDil?)

(bitfaDDal ayya
waaHid minhom?)

( tuajja3 ayya
fariiq?)

( bitagga3 ayya
farii'?)

Egyptian Arabic also has an alternative way to say "which":

\\

. This can be a

little tricky, since it can come either before or after the noun being referred to. The formulation is either: 1. [nhu/nhi/nhum - stress falling on the first syllable] + [indefinite noun] 2. [definite noun] + [anh/anh/anhm - stress falling on the second syllable]

Note that you would usually go with the second option only when the "which" question is on its own -- simply asking "Which book? Which girl?" as opposed to "Which book do you like? Which girl do you know?" in which case you'd probably go with the first option.

Which apartment do you live in?

(inta saakin fi nhi a''a?)

Which floor?

(nhu door?) -or-

(id-door anh?)

Where

Standard Arabic where to where from where

Egyptian Arabic

( ayna) ( ila ayna) ( min ayna)

Standard Arabic

( fein)
) [( (3ala] fein)

(minein)
Egyptian Arabic

The usage of "where" in Arabic is fairly straightforward.

Where is the museum? Where are you going?

( ayna lmatHaf?)

( ilmatHaf fein?)

( ila
ayna daahiba?)

( rayHa 3ala fein?)

Where are you from?

( min ayna
anta?)

( inta
minein?)

Why/when

Standard Arabic why what for when

Egyptian Arabic

( limaada)

(leih) | ( 3aaan
eih/3alaaan eih)

( limaada)

( mata)
Standard Arabic

( imta)
Egyptian Arabic

Examples of usage:

Why did you go to Egypt? Why do you hate him? Why did he pick her?

( li-maada dahabti
ila miSr?)

(roHti maSr leih?) ( bitikrahu

leih?)

( li-maada
takrahu?)

( li-maada
ixtaarha?)

( ixtaarha 3aaan
eih?)

When will Hasan return?

( mata saya3uud
Hasan?)

( Hasan hayirga3
imta?)

When is your birthday?

( mata
3iid miilaadak?)

( 3iid milaadak

imta?)

Who

Standard Arabic who whose

Egyptian Arabic

(man) (li-man)

(miin) | ( bitaa3 miin/limiin)

or

is used in any questions that would use "who" or "whom" in English.

Standard Arabic Who are you? Whose book is this?

Egyptian Arabic

( man anta?) ( liman haada l-kitaab?)

( inta miin?) ( ilkitaab da bitaa3 miin?) -or-

( da kitaab
miin?) Whom did you meet?

( man
qaabalt?)

'( aabilt miin?)

How/how much

Standard Arabic how how many how much

Egyptian Arabic

( kayfa) ( kam) ( kam)

( izzaayy) ( kam) '( adde eih)

how much (price) how long (time)

( bi-kam) ( mundu
mata)

( bi-kam) ( min
imta)

The use of

is fairly simple, but note that in Arabic (both standard and colloquial)

must

be followed by a singular noun (unlike English, in which "how many" is followed by a plural noun). And in standard Arabic, this singular noun must be in the accusative case and remember that since the noun is singular, it must be nunated.

Standard Arabic How are you? How did you know? What time is it?

Egyptian Arabic

( kayfa
Haaluka?)

( izzayyak?) ( 3ereft
izzaayy?)

( kayfa
3arafta?)

( kam assaa3a?) Lit. How much is the hour?

( is-saa3a
kam?)

How old are you?

( kam
3umruki?) Lit. How much is your age?

( 3andik
kam sana?) Lit. How many years do you have?

How many students are in the university?

( kam
Taaliban fil-jaami3a?)

( kam Taalib
fig-gam3a?)
in standard Arabic and

Asking "how much money" is pretty simple; you use

in the

Egyptian dialect. For the other meanings of "how much" (to what extent; how much of an uncountable noun), you use

in standard Arabic and

Standard Arabic

(which is quite flexible and can be

used for "to what extent, how big, how long, how much" questions) in Egyptian.

Egyptian Arabic

How much is this book?

( bikam haada l-kitaab?)

( ilkitaab da bi-kam?)

How much do you love Egypt?

( kam tuHibb
miSr?)

( bitHebbe maSr
'adde eih?)

How much money do you have (with you?)

( kam ma3ak
min al-maal?)

( ma3aak filuus
'adde eih?)

"How long" can be a bit tricky to express in Arabic. But before I get into that, an explanation on

Note:

is the use of the connecting participle

to introduce a clause clarifying the

circumstances under which the main action took place. Basically, it's used in a sentence that talks about two things: the main event, and what was going on in the background at the time.

helps describe the background events. Here are some examples of usage:

. ( saafarat Daalia ila amriika wa-hiyya Saiira)

Dalia traveled to the US when she was small. lit. "and she is small"

. ( saafarat wa-abuuha muriiD)

She traveled while her father was sick. lit. "and her father is sick"

. (waSalat wa-ma3aha uxtuha l-kubra)

She arrived with her older sister. lit. "and with her, her older sister"

. ( 3aadat ila miSr wa-qad HaSalat 3ala d-dukturaah)

She returned to Egypt having received her PhD. lit. "and she had received her PhD"

.( 3aadat taHmil lina 3iddat hadaaya)

She returned carrying a number of gifts for us. lit. "carries for us a number of gifts"

All that said, in standard Arabic, the expression combined with

(literally "since when") can be

to ask "How long has something been happening?"

The Egyptian Arabic equivalent of

is

, which can be combined with

an active participle to ask how long something's been happening.

Standard Arabic How long have you

Egyptian Arabic

been living here?

( mundu mata wa-anta

ta3ii huna?)

( inta 3aayi hina

min imta?)

In colloquial Arabic, there are multiple ways to ask a "how long" question. The expression

(ba'aal + a pronoun suffix) means "for [a specified period of time]" if you're

talking about an action that began in the past and is still continuing. Like "X amount of time has elapsed since I began doing this."

(ba'aali saa3a mistanniyya kida)

I've been waiting like this for an hour.

So you can ask been..." or While

(ba'alha fi maSr talat siniin)

She's been (living) in Egypt for three years.

...( ba'aalak kam...) to ask "How many [singular unit of time] have you

...( ba'aalak 'adde eih...) to ask more generally "How long have you been..."

must be followed by a specific, singular unit of time (an hour, a day, a year),

means a more general "how long."

Standard Arabic How long did the operation last?

Egyptian Arabic

( kam
daamit al-3amaliyya?)

( il-3amaliyya ba'it
'adde eih?)

How many hours did the operation last?

( kam saa3a
daamit al-3amaliyya?)

( il-3amaliyya
ba'it kam saa3a?)

Some additional examples of colloquial questions:

(bitirab sagaayir ba'aalak kam sana?)

How many years have you been smoking cigarettes?

(ba'aalak 'adde eih 3aayi hina?)

How long have you been living here?


How big is this bag?

(i-anTa di 'adde eih?)

(wiSilt min imta?)

How long ago did you arrive?

Asking yes-or-no questions

In Arabic, if you ask a question with a yes-or-no answer, the question takes the exact same form as the corresponding statement; the only difference is intonation, and the optional addition of

(hal) at the beginning of the question.

is standard Arabic, but is also used in colloquial

Arabic by educated speakers.

Standard Arabic Statement: You're Egyptian. Question: Are you Egyptian?

Egyptian Arabic

( anta miSri) ( hal

anta miSri?)

( inta
maSri)

( hal inta
maSri?)

Statement: This university is famous. Question: Is this university famous?

( haadihi ljaami3a mahuura)

( ig-gam3a
di mahuura)

( haadihi ljaami3a mahuura?)

is . Like

( ig-gam3a
di mahuura?)

An alternative to

, it goes at the beginning of the question. Unlike

, it's used

in standard Arabic only, and cannot be used in front of a definite noun or a word beginning

Isn't that so?

with . It's also much more uncommon than (a-laysa kadaalika?)

. Examples:

(a-adan alqaak?)

Will I see you tomorrow? (This is the title of a famous Umm Kalthoum song.)

Asking "alternative" questions

Standard Arabic or (used in between two choices) or (used in between three or more choices) Egyptian Arabic

( am) ( aw)

(walla) (walla)
(am) is

An "alternative" question presents two or more choices to pick from. In standard Arabic, used to separate a single pair of choices.

:
What do you prefer, tea or coffee?

(maada tufaDDil, a-aay am al-qahwa?)

However, if you are presenting more than two choices to pick from, you must use between each choice.

(aw) in

safar bis-sayyaara aw biT-Taa'ira aw bil-qiTaar aw bis-safiina?) Do you prefer to travel by car, plane, train, or ship? That's all for standard Arabic. In Egyptian Arabic, you simply use each choice you're presenting.

(tufaDDil as-

(walla), "or," in between

-
saada walla 3ar-riiHa walla mazbuuT walla ziyaada?)

(mazaagak eih -

What do you feel like - black, a little sugar, sweet, or very sweet? (in reference to coffee/tea)

For here or to go?

(hina walla take away?)

(meeit walla lissa?)

Have you left yet? (lit. Did you leave or not yet?)

Additional notes on asking questions in colloquial Egyptian Arabic

Note that in Egyptian Arabic, to politely ask if someone would like to do something, you can use an imperfect-form verb:

Would you like tea?

(tirab aay?)

(tirab eih?)

What would you like to drink?

(tiigi ma3aana?)

Would you like to come with us?

Among some useful colloquial "question" words to know are:

(ime3na), "why (in

particular)" and Why me?

('ummaal), "So [if that's the case, then]..."

(ime3na ana?)

mi3anda ma3aaya?) emphasis

('ummaal ana me3na d-donia

So how come nothing's going my way? (lit. the world is against me) - with a sort of "why me?"

: :
laazim niktib kulle da fil-imtiHaan?" il-ustaaz: "ya Habiibi, 'ummaal hansa''atku zzaay?") then] how could we fail you?"

(Taalib: "ya doktoor, howw-eHna leih

Student: "Professor, how come we have to write all of that in the exam?" Professor: "[If you didn't,

 ,
If you're not you, then who are you? The expression

(law inta mi inta, 'ummaal inta miin?)

...( + noun/pronoun) has several meanings:

1. What's the matter with...? What's wrong with...?

(maalak?)

What's the matter with you?

(maal Dina?)

What's wrong with Dina?

2. What's that got to do with...?

(ana maali?)

What business is it of mine? (implying that I don't see what the topic at hand has to do with me)

him) 3.

(malha wa-maali?)

What's she got to do with me? (implying that I don't want anything to do with her)

(maalik wa-maalu?)

What's he got to do with you? (implying that you should leave him alone and stop interfering with

(we-maalu?) - can mean either "So what?" or "That's ok."

There are also quite a few "tags" you can tack onto the end of your question to ask for affirmation:

or not?

(walla la?)

or what?

(walla eih?)

isn't that so?

(mi kida?)

(wallana alTaan?)

or am I mistaken?

(SaHH?)

right? (correct?) So you could say

...( inta maSri...) and add on any of the above expressions to mean

"You're Egyptian, aren't you?"

How do you say...? How do you say "Welcome/hello/happy birthday" etc. in Arabic? I have an entire page dedicated to common phrases like this here. But you can use ahlan wa sahlan or

marHaba for both "Welcome" and "Hello." "Happy birthday" is 3iid miilaad sa3iid, but people usually just use kull sana winta Tayyib (in Egypt), or kull sane winte saalim (in the Levant). The standard phrase is you're addressing a woman, say kull 3aam wa-antum bexeir. If kull sana winti Tayyiba or kull sane winti saalme. (The standard phrase stays the same.) How do you say "I love you" in Arabic? What are some Arabic endearments?

Standard Arabic Addressed to a man

Egyptian Arabic

- uHibbuka - uHibbuki uHibbukuma

baHebbak

Addressed to a woman

baHebbik

Addressed to two people Addressed to three or more people, at least one of whom is a man Addressed to three or more women

baHebbuku

uHibbukum

baHebbuku

uHibbukunna

baHebbuku

You can say

"ana" beforehand, but it's not really necessary, since it's clear that it's "I" just from

the conjugation. If you want to say you love someone "a lot," you can add

katiiran or

cute.

Hubban jamman in fuSHa, or

(colloquial) emphasis, you can say

'awi in 3ammiyya. Or for an even more enthusiastic 'add id-dunya, which would sound a little corny but

And here's a list of Arabic endearments. All of these are used in Egyptian Arabic, as well as other dialects, and will be understood by any Arabic speaker. Note that if you use them to address someone, they should be preceded by

(ya); ex. "ya Habiibi," "ya ruuHi."

Habiibi (to a man or a woman); Habibti (to a woman) Habiib 'albi (to a man); Habibet 'albi (to a woman) 3aziizi (to a man or a woman); 3azizti (to a woman) ruuHi 3eini 3oyuuni / (nuur 3eini/3einaya) Hayaati; 3omri aali (to a man); aliya (to a
woman)

my darling (also used between friends and family, including people of the same sex)

my heart's darling

my dear

my soul my eye my eyes light of my eye/eyes my life precious honey sweet

3asal Helw (to a man); Helwa (to a

woman)
How do you say "I miss you" in Arabic?

Standard Arabic Addressed to a man

() - ana
mutaaq(at)un ileika

Addressed to a woman

() - ana
mutaaq(at)un ileiki

Addressed to two people Addressed to three or more people, at least one of whom is a man Addressed to three or more women

() - ana
mutaaq(at)un ileikuma

() - ana
mutaaq(at)un ileikum

() - ana
mutaaq(at)un ileikunna

I put the appropriate phrase if you're a woman in parentheses so if you're male, ignore what's in the parentheses and use

mutaaqun, and if you're female, use

mutaaqatun.

For the Egyptian dialect, there are actually three ways to say "I miss you." The first uses the pasttense conjugation of the verb

, but even though it's past tense, it's frequently used with a

present-tense meaning. The second uses the present-tense conjugation of the verb. And the third uses the active participle to describe a state of being, which in this case is the state of missing someone:

Past tense Addressed to a man Addressed to a woman Addressed to more than one person

Present tense

Active participle

waHateni

betewHani

inta waHeni

waHatiini

betewHaiini

inti waHaani

waHatuuni

betewHauuni

intu waHenni

If that confused you, just pick one any is fine!

Comparative and superlative adjectives in Egyptian Arabic

Elative forms of adjectives Forming comparative and superlative statements

Elative forms of adjectives

In Arabic, there are elative forms of adjectives that are used for both comparisons (ex. "bigger") and superlatives (ex. "best"). Elative adjectives are invariable and take three regular forms: 1.

( kibiir)
big

(af3al) - this is the most common form.

( akbar)
bigger

( kitiir)
many

( aktar)
more

( fa'iir)
poor

( af'ar)
poorer

( gamiil)
pretty

( agmal)
prettier

( sahl)
easy

( ashal)
easier

( Sa3b)
hard, difficult

( aS3ab)
harder

( Tawiil)
tall, long

( aTwal)
taller, longer

( Tayyib)
nice

( aTyab)
nicer

2.

( Helw)
sweet, nice

(af3a) - corresponds to adjectives that end in

(-i) or

(-w).

( aHla)
sweeter, nicer

( 3aali)
high

( a3la)
higher

( aali)
expensive

( ala)
more expensive

( zaki)
smart
3.

( azka)
smarter

( gediid)
new

(afa3ll) - corresponds to adjectives with a doubled/geminate root.

( agadd)
newer

(mohimm)
important

( ahamm)
more important

( xafiif)
light

( axaff)
lighter

'( aliil)
few

( a'all)
less, fewer

( laziiz)
delicious
There is an irregular comparative:

( alazz)
more delicious

( kwayyis)
good

( aHsan)
better

Forming comparative and superlative statements

To form a comparison (between two things) in Arabic, you use the elative adjective followed

by (min).

(il-'amiiS da ala min da)

This shirt is more expensive than that one.

Hussein is taller than me.

(Hussein aTwal minni)

To form a superlative (comparing one thing to multiple other things), you can use the elative adjective followed by an indefinite noun. This has a basic "the [adj]est [noun]" meaning.

(howwa aSar walad)

He's the youngest boy.

This is the cheapest jacket.

(di arxaS akitta)

Cairo is the biggest city in Egypt.

(il-qaahira akbar mediina fi maSr)

For another kind of superlative, you can use the elative adjective followed by a definite plural noun. This has a "the [adj]est of (all) the [nouns]" meaning.

He's the youngest of the boys in the class

(howwa aSar il-wilaad fil-faSl)

This is the cheapest of the jackets in the shop.

(di arxaS i-akittaat fil-maHall)

Cairo is the biggest of the cities in Egypt.

(il-qaahira akbar il-mudun fi maSr)

Adjectives in Egyptian Arabic

Introduction Some basic adjectives Inflections for gender and number Agreement Nisba adjectives

Introduction
An adjective is a word that describes a noun "smart," "pretty," "good," etc. Remember that

a good book

(the active participle) acts as an adjective. (il-film da mumill)

This movie is boring.

(kitaab kwayyis)

(howwa naayim)

He is sleeping.

(is-sitt illi wa'fa hnaak)

the woman who is standing there

Some basic adjectives

Here's a list of some common, basic adjectives in Egyptian Arabic:

small big short

() () ()

Soayyar (pl.) Suaar kibiir (pl.) kobaar 'oSayyar (pl.) 'uSaar

long; tall smart stupid rich poor old (in reference to things, not people) new pretty, beautiful ugly

() () () () () () () () () ) (

Tawiil (pl.) Tuwaal zaki (pl.) azkiya abi (pl.) abiya ani (pl.) aniya fa'iir (pl.) fu'ra 'adiim (pl.) 'udaam gediid (pl.) gudaad gamiil (pl.) gumaal 'abiiH (pl.) 'ubaHa weHi naDiif (pl.) nuDaaf wisix aali raxiiS kwayyis weHi sahl Sa3b ti'iil xafiif 3aali waaTi tixiin rofayya3

clean dirty expensive cheap good bad easy hard, difficult heavy light high low fat thin

fast, quick slow

sarii3 baTii'

Inflections for gender and number

As with nouns, to make adjectives feminine or plural, usually you add a suffix: feminine form,

(-a) for the

(-iin) for the regular plural form. But again, many adjectives do not have

regular plural forms, so for those you have to memorize the broken plurals. The first half of the list above is made up of adjectives with broken plurals. Also see the following examples:

Singular masculine big poor

Singular feminine

Plural

( kibiir) ( fa'iir)
Singular masculine

( kibiira) ( fa'iira)
Singular feminine

( kobaar) ( fu'ra)

Here's a regular adjective:

Plural

goo d

( kwayyis
)

( kwayyesa
)
(-i) and is not of the form

( kwayyisii
n)
(faa3il). When you're adding

Note: Say an adjective ends in on your

and

suffixes to make it feminine/plural, you need to insert a "yy" between the

adjective and the suffix (in terms of your pronunciation).

Singular masculine stupid smart Egyptia n*

Singular feminine

Plural

( abi) ( zaki) ( ma
Sri)

( abeyya) ( zakeyya) ( maSre

yya)

( abiya) ( azkiya) ( maSriy

yiin)

* See below for more on this type of adjective.

If, however, an adjective ending in

is of the form

, you don't insert a "yy" between it

and the suffix when you're making it feminine/plural. And while the masculine form of this adjective has a long "aa," the feminine and plural forms have a short "a."

Singular masculine expensive quiet, calm

Singular feminine

Plural

( aali) ( haadi)

( alya) ( hadya)

( alyiin) ( hadyiin)

Adjectives: agreement
In English, adjectives come right before the noun they describe, but in Arabic, adjectives always directly follow the noun they modify. Also, adjectives and nouns must always agree in definiteness (they must be both definite or both indefinite). Adjectives for singular nouns A singular noun is modified by a singular adjective of the same gender.

(il-mudarris il-gediid)

the new teacher - lit. "the-teacher the-new"

(bint hadya)

a quiet girl - lit. "girl quiet" Adjectives for dual nouns Any dual noun must be modified by a plural adjective.

(waladein
maSriyyiin) two Egyptian boys

( kitaabein alyiin)
two expensive books

( bintein suriyyiin)
two Syrian girls
Adjectives for human plural nouns

( 3arabiyyatein
gudaad) two new cars

Human plural nouns, masculine or feminine, are usually modified by masculine plural nouns.

big boys

(awlaad kobaar)

small girls

(banaat Soaar)

Adjectives for non-human plural nouns Non-human plural nouns are modified by feminine singular adjectives. This is confusing at first, but you get used to it fast!

(dowal mit'addima)

advanced countries

old cars

(3arabiyyaat 'adiima)

new movies

(aflaam gediida)

Note: A lot of beginning students get confused about adjectival phrases and whether or not they can be complete sentences. Look at these examples for some clarification:

(it-tilmiiz aaTir)

A complete simple sentence: "The student is smart." (Lit. "The-student smart.")

(it-tilmiiz i-aaTir)

A phrase/sentence fragment: "The smart student." (Lit. "the-student the-smart.")

(tilmiiz aaTir)

A phrase/sentence fragment: "A smart student." (Lit. "student smart.")

Nisba adjectives (

Nisba adjectives are those that indicate a relationship, often a nationality. Nouns are transformed into these adjectives in this manner: 1. Drop any definite article at the beginning of the noun, and any taa marbuuTa ( alif (

) or

) at the end of it.

2. Add the suffixes adjective, and

(-ii) for the masculine adjective, (-iiyyiin) for the plural adjective.

(-eyya) for the feminine

Here are some examples of nouns and their correponding nisba adjectives:

Noun

Adj ect ive Egy ptia n Leb ane se

Mascu line singul ar

Feminin e singula r

Plural

Eg ypt Le ba no n the Uni ted St ate s Pal est ine

(maSr )

(ma
Sri)

(maSr
eyya)

(maSr
iyyiin)

(libnaa n)

(libnaa ni)

(l
ibnaney ya)

(
libnaniyyi in)

(am
riika)

Am eric an

(a
mriiki)

(amrike
yya)

(amrik
iyyiin)

(fili
sTiin)

Pal esti nia n

(fil
isTiini)

(filisT
iineyya)

(filisTii
niyyiin)

Sy ria

(sur
ya)

Syri an

(suu
ri)

(sureyya )

(suriyyi
in)

Su da n

( issuuda an)

Sud ane se

(su
daani)

(suda
neyya)

(suda
niyyiin)

sc ho ol

(m
adrasa )

sch olas tic

(m
adrasi)

(madr
aseyya)

(madr
asiyiin)

Note: For some nouns that end in -a, you don't follow that formula but use the suffixes awi),

(-

(-aweyya), and

(-awiyyiin).

Nou n

Adj ecti ve

Mascul ine singul ar

Feminin e singular

Plural

Fr an ce

(f
arans a)

Fren ch

(fa
ransawi )

(faran
saweyya )

(fara
nsawiyyii n)

As ia

(
asya)

Asia n year ly/a nnu al prop hetic

(asawi )

(a
saweyya )

(
asawiyiin )

ye ar pr op he t

(
sana)

(sanawi )

(s
anaweyy a)

(
sanawiyyi in)

(nabi )

(
nabawi )

(n
abaweyy a)

(n
abawiyyin )

Some plural nisba adjectives are irregular:

Masculine singular Arab Turkis h Kurdis h Morocc an British

Feminine singular

Plural

( 3arab
i)

( 3arabey
ya)

( 3arab
)

( turki) ( kurdi
)

( turkeyya
)

( atraa
k)

( kurdeyy
a)

( akraa
d)

( ma
ribi)

( marib
eyya)

( ma
arba)

( in
giliizi)

( inglii
zeyya)

( ingilii
z)

The active participle in Egyptian Arabic

Introduction Derivation of the active participle List of commonly-used active participles Examples of usage

Introduction
Active participles act as adjectives, and so they must agree with their subject. An active participle can be used in several ways: (1) to describe a state of being (understanding; knowing), (2) to describe what someone is doing right now (going, leaving), and (3) to indicate that someone/something is in a state of having done something (having put something somewhere, having lived somewhere for a period of time).

I understand what you're saying.

(ana faahim ill-inta bit'uulu)

(heyya nayma)

She is sleeping.

I've put up the picture.

(HaaTiT iS-Suura)

For some verbs, active participles are not used, while for others, they are used frequently and must be used instead of the present continuous tense if you want to describe a current action. If you mess up and use an imperfect-tense verb where you should use an active participle (or vice versa), it can change your sentence's meaning completely!

Active participle

Imperfect tense

( ana
labsa badla) I am wearing a suit (right now). vs.

( balbis badla)
I wear a suit (on a regular basis).

( ana
raayiH in-naadi) I'm going to the club; I'm on my way there right now. vs.

( baruuH innaadi) I go to the club (regularly).

( 3aamil
eih?) An idiomatic way of asking someone, "What's up?" vs.

( biti3mel eih?)
What are you doing (right now)? -or- What do you do (as a career)?

Derivation of the active participle

Active participles are derived in fairly regular ways from their root verbs.

Type of verb Form 1 sound verbs (of the type

Passive participle

fi3il)

( faa3il)

( 3irif) to know ( fihim) to understand

Form 1 geminate/doubled verbs (of the type

( 3aarif) in a state of
knowing

( faahim) in a state of
understanding

fa33)

( faa3i3) ( HaaTiT) in a state of having

put

( HaTT) to put
Form 1 defective verbs (of the type

fi3i or fa3a)

( faa3i) ( maai) going ( faayi3) ( raayiH) going ( aayib) in a state of being

absent Substitute "mi" for the "yi" of the imperfect howwa verb conjugation

( mii) to go
Form 1 hollow verbs (of the type

faa3)

( raaH) to go ( aab) to be absent

Most other triliteral verb forms

( rawwaH) to go home ( saafir) to travel ( istanna) to wait

( mirawwaH) going home ( misaafir) traveling ( mistanni) waiting*

* Note: When the imperfect howwa conjugation of the verb in question ends in -a, as with "istanna - yistanna," the ending -a is replaced by -i in the active participle, as with "mistanni."

List of commonly-used active participles

Generally speaking, the most commonly-used active participles fall into the categories of motion or action (going, coming, leaving, carrying), location (living, staying), and mental state (seeing, understanding, wanting). Here is a table of some of these active participles:

Masculine singular coming going going/w alking leaving returnin g going home traveling

Feminine singular

Plural

( gayy) ( raayi
H)

( gayya) ( rayHa
)

( gayyiin) ( rayHii
n)

( maa
i)

( may
a)

( mayii
n)

( xaar
ig)

( xarg
a)

( xarg
iin)

( raagi
3)

( rag3
a)

( rag3i
in)

( mir
awwaH)

( mira
wwaHa)

( mira
wwaHiin)

( mis
aafir)

( mis
afra)

( mis
afriin)

going up going down carrying

( Taali
3)

( Tal3a
)

( Tal3ii
n)

( naazil
)

( nazla) ( ayla) (wa'fa) '( a3da)

( nazliin) ( ayliin) (wa'fiin) '( a3diin

)

( aayi
l)

standing

(waa'
if)

sitting

'( aa3id
)

awake

( Sa
aHi)

( SaH
ya)

( SaH
yiin)

sleeping

( naayim
)

( nayma
)

( naymii
n)

taking

(waax
id)

(waxd
a)

(waxdi
in)

eating

(waak
ul)

(wakla) ( mist
anniyya)

(wakliin
)

waiting living (in a place) living (in general) rememb er know understa nd want

( mis
tanni)

( mist
anniyyiin)

( saak
in)

( sakna
)

( saknii
n)

( 3aa
yi)

( 3ay
a)

( 3ayii
n)

( faakir
)

( fakra) ( 3arfa
)

( fakriin
)

( 3a
arif)

( 3arfii
n)

( faahi
m)

( fahma
)

( fahmii
n)

( 3aayi
z)

( 3ayza
)

( 3ayzii
n)

see

( aa
yif)

( ayfa) ( sam3
a)

( ayfiin
)

hear

( saa
mi3)

( sam3
iin)

Examples of usage
Here are some examples of situations in which you could use the active participle. Note that generally you can leave out the subject pronoun that would go with the active participle, as long as it's clear who you're talking about.

I'm about to go out to the supermarket, and I tell the people I'm with,

( ana
maya, 3ayziin Haaga?) Someone asks you how you are, and you say,

I'm going out, do you want anything?

( ta3baana waya, ana waxda bard)

A teacher asks a student a question, and he responds,

A little sick, I've caught a cold.

( mi faakir ilgawaab) Someone asks you a question, and you reply,

I don't remember the answer.

( ana mi 3aarif) ( nazla 3ala Tuul)

You're on the way to the movie theater, so you tell someone,

I don't know.

You're walking down a flight of stairs, and your friend downstairs calls you to ask where you are. You say, I'm going right down.

( ana rayHa ssenema) Someone asks you where you live, and you say,

I'm going to the movie theater.

( ana

I live in Heliopolis.

saakin fi maSr ig-gediida) Someone asks you where your parents live, and you say,

( 3ayiin fi amriika min xamas

siniin)

They've been living in the US for five years.

You see a friend of yours standing somewhere waiting, and you ask her,

\ ( wa'fa/mistanniyya hina min

imta?) You hear a weird noise and ask someone with you,

How long have you been standing/waiting here?

( saami3 Haaga?) ( aho gayy)

You see something incredible, and say:

Do you hear something?

You've been waiting for a friend, and then when you see him arrive: There he comes.

!( mi misadda'
3eineiyya!)

I don't believe my eyes!

Note: It's common to use

(lissa), "still," before an active participle to mean that an action

has just been completed. You can think of it as saying, "I'm still in the state of just having (done whatever)."

I've just eaten.

(lissa wakla)

The passive participle in Egyptian Arabic

Introduction Derivation of the passive participle

Introduction
Passive participles, like active participles, act as adjectives, and so they must agree with the noun they're describing. A passive participle may express a current state of being; a couple of examples would be "known" and "understood." Or it may express a state of having been the result of an action that has already been performed. Examples would be "written" (i.e. the item is in a state of already having been written) and "cooked" (i.e. the item has already been cooked). Use of the passive participle obscures the identity of the person who performed the action.

( mumassil ma3ruuf)
a well-known actor

( beiD ma'li)
fried eggs

Derivation of the passive participle

Passive participles are derived in different ways from their root verbs. However, if you know the type of verb you're working with, deriving the passive participle from that verb is quite regular.

Type of verb Form 1 sound verbs (of the

Passive participle

fi3il) ( katab) to write ( fihim) to understand

type Form 1 geminate/doubled verbs (of the type

( maf3uul) ( maktuub) written ( mafhuum) understood ( maf3uu3) ( maHbuub) beloved ( makbuub) spilled/poured ( maf3i) ( mawi) grilled

fa33)

( Habb) to love ( kabb) to spill/pour

Form 1 defective verbs (of the type

fi3i or fa3a)

( awa) to grill

( nisi) to forget
Most other triliteral verb forms

( mansi) forgotten
Substitute "mi" for the "yi" of the imperfect howwa verb conjugation*

( kassar) to smash ( itxarrag) to

graduate

( mikassar) smashed ( mitxarrag) (a) graduate ( muxtaar) chosen ( mistaxdim) used

( ixtaar) to choose ( istaxdim) to use

* Educated Egyptians often pronounce this "mi" as "mu" due to influence from standard Arabic see the pronunciation "muxtaar" (as opposed to "mixtaar") as an example. Note: For verbs that are not of Form 1, the active participle and passive participle are usually exactly the same! You would use context to tell which it is.

(miHtall)

This could be the active participle, "occupying," or the passive participle, "occupied."

You might also have noticed that hollow verbs were not included in the above table of passive participle derivations. This is because passive participles are not used for these verbs. Rather, you would derive a passive participle from the verb's corresponding passive form (which would generally begin with

it-).

(baa3) to sell

This has no passive participle. So you would instead use the verb:

(itbaa3) to be sold

From this you would derive the appropriate passive participle,

(mitbaa3), "sold."

But also note that aside from passive verb forms of hollow verbs, you do not usually use passive participles derived from

itfa3al verb forms except, in some cases, if you want to

distinguish between a passive and active participle that would otherwise be the same.

(dalla3) to spoil

The active and passive participle of this verb is the same: So people will use

(midalla3)

only in its active participle sense. For the passive participle, they use:

(mitdalla3) spoiled, as in a spoiled child

(rabba) to raise or grow (as in a parent raising a child, or someone growing a plant)

The active and passive participle of this verb is the same: So people will use

(mirabbi)

only in its active participle sense. For the passive participle, they use:

verb.

(mitrabbi) well-raised

But usually for passive verbs, you would derive a passive participle from the corresponding Form 1

(itkatab) to be written

This has no passive participle. So you would instead use the corresponding Form 1 verb: (katab) to write

From this you would derive the appropriate passive participle,

(maktuub), "written."

(itkasaf) to be embarrassed

This has no passive participle. So you would instead use the corresponding Form 1 verb: (kasaf) to embarrass

From this you would derive the appropriate passive participle, "embarrassed."

(maksuuf),

Adverbs in Egyptian Arabic

An adverb modifies a verb (or an adjective or adverb) and answers questions like how, when, where, why, and to what degreesomething was done. Here is a list of some common adverbs; all usually come after the expression they're modifying, except for before the modified expression.

, which usually comes

Adverbs of time

Adverbs of place

today

( innahaarda)

here there

yesterday

( imbaa
riH) outside

( hina) ( hin
aak)

tomorrow now

( bukra) ( dilwa'ti
)

( barra
)

inside

( guw
wa)

later

( ba3dein
)

up, upstair s down, downst airs in front of behind

( foo') ( taH
t)

a long time ago recently/ soon always never early late

( zamaan
)

'( ariib/'o
rayyib)

'( udd
aam)

( dayman) ( abadan) ( badri) (waxri) ( mit'axx

ar)

(wara
)

finally usually

( axiiran) ( 3aadatan
)

usually, for the most part

( aaliban)

sometime s

( aHyaan
an)

Adverbs indicating degree very

'( awi) ( il-film da 3agibni 'awi) - I liked that movie ( di Suura Helwa 'awi) - This is a really

a lot.

nice picture. very/at all

( xaaliS) (howwa mi 3aaref Haaga ( il-balad di xarbaana xaaliS) - This

xaaliS) - He doesn't know a thing.

country is totally messed up. very

( giddan) ( kalaamak gamiil giddan) - What you're saying ( kitiir) ( il-xabar da 'ala'ni kitiir) - This news really (moot) * This is very slangy. ( il-aaani di gamda moot) - These ( kamaan)

is really good. a lot; often

worried me. totally

songs are really cool. more, in addition

 ( istanna kamaan wayya) - Wait a little more. nearly ( ta'riiban) ( fiDilna ta'riiban noSS saa3a) - We had
almost half an hour left.

( xiliS ramaDaan ta'riiban) - Ramadan is

almost over. nearly

( Hawaali) * Usually comes before the

expression being modified.

( ana ba'aali Hawaali saa3a

mistanniyya kida) - I've been waiting like this for about an hour. a little

( wayya) ( il-mumassil da

laazim tixtaar adwaaru aHsan wayya) - That actor should pick his roles a bit better.

Adverbs of manner like this, in this way

( kida)

( mi 3arfa bit3aamilni kida leih) I don't know why you're treating me like this. in this way/manner

( bi-akle da) ( izzaayy tistigri tkallemni ( bi-sur3a)

( kunte maai fi-aari3

bi-akle da?) - How do you dare talk to me like that? quickly

bis-sur3a 3aaan alHa' awSal) - I was walking down the street fast so I could make it on time.

quickly, in a short time

'( awaam) ( biwei) ( Haalan) ( Haaliyyan) ( sawa) (li-waHd- + pronoun

suffix)

(yalla nibda' 3aaan nixallaS 'awaam) Come on, let's get started so we can finish quickly. slowly

( biwei iwayya, mista3gil 3ala eih?) [Go] slowly, what are you in a hurry for? right away, immediately

! ( ana 3awza r-rudd Haalan!) - I want the answer

right away! presently, at this time

( ana Haaliyyan muqiima fi almanya) - Right

now I'm living in Germany. together

( kullina fil-hawa sawa) - We're all in the same

boat (lit. "We are in the air together"). alone, by oneself

( bafaDDal askun li-waHdi) - I prefer to live

by myself. straight ahead; right away; continuously; forever

( 3ala Tuul)

( imi
3ala Tuul li-Hadde matlaa'i g-gaami3 3ala maalak) - Go straight until you find the mosque on your left.

( di'ii'a wa-gayy 3ala Tuul) - Just a

minute, I'm coming right away.

( inta waHeni 3ala Tuul) - I miss you

all the time.

( ana msafra qaTar

ba3d il-faraH 3ala Tuul) - I'm going to Qatar right after the wedding.

(howwa mi hayifDal yiksib

3ala Tuul) - He won't keep winning forever. deliberately, on purpose

( 3amdan)

( bitfakkar inni 3amelte kida 3amdan?) - Do

you think I did that deliberately?

The genitive construct and other ways to express possession in Egyptian Arabic

The genitive construct -

(il-iDaafa)

Other ways to express possession

The genitive construct

In Arabic, two nouns can be placed one after the other in what is called a genitive construct (

) to indicate possession. First comes the noun being possessed (

), then

comes the noun referring to the owner (

). For example:

the boy's book

(kitaab il-walad)

the girl's name

(ism il-bint)

(mediinat il-'uds)

the city of Jerusalem


If

(bint 3ammi)

my cousin (paternal uncle's daughter)

ends in a taa' marbuuTa, then the end of that word will be pronounced -it instead of

-a.

my sister's room

(ooDit oxti)

Nabila's car

(3arabiyyit Nabiila)

my friend's picture

(Suurit SaHbi)

(a''it Nagwa)

Nagwa's apartment

In Egyptian Arabic, indefinite.

must be indefinite, but

may be definite or

the boy's book

(kitaab il-walad)

Hasan's book

(kitaab Hasan)

a boy's book

(kitaab walad)

Whether an adjective modifies after

or

, it will come at the very end,

. As usual, it will agree in gender, number, and definiteness with the noun

it modifies.

( kitaab ilbint iT-Tawiila) the tall girl's book

( kitaab ilbint iT-Tawiil) the girl's long book

( kitaab bint
Tawiil) a girl's long book
But sometimes, if both or

( kitaab bint
Tawiila) a tall girl's book

are the same gender and number,

there can be confusion over what noun is being modified by the adjective, as with this phrase:

boy's long book"?

(kitaab il-walad iT-Tawiil) - does this mean "the tall boy's book" or "the

Fortunately, Egyptian Arabic has a solution for this kind of ambiguity: use of the construction. The word possession.

(bitaa3)

(female form

bitaa3a, plural form

bituu3) indicates

the tall boy's book

(il-kitaab bitaa3 il-walad iT-Tawiil)

the boy's long book

(il-kitaab iT-Tawiil bitaa3 il-walad)

This construction is also used if you want to modify both terms of the

with adjectives.

the little boy's long book

(il-kitaab iT-Tawiil bitaa3 il-walad iS-Soayyar)

Other ways to express possession

There are also other ways to express possession. Of course, you can use possessive pronouns. Arabic has no verb for "to have," but you can express this idea with three different prepositions, with possessive pronoun suffixes added:

(3and-) - used to talk about "having" something in the sense of owning or possessing it.

This is the most commonly-used of these three choices.


That man has a big house.

(ir-raagil da 3andu beit kibiir)

(li-) - used to refer to something intended for somebody or something "owned" by an

inanimate object.

You have a letter in the mail.

(liik gawaab fil-bosTa)

The room has three windows.

(il-ooDa liiha talat ababiik)

(ma3a) - used to talk about something you physically have with you.

(ma3aak filuus?)

Do you have money (with you)? Here are the "conjugations" of these words:

I have you (masc . sing.) have you (fem. sing.) have he has she has

( 3andi) ( 3andak)

(leyya) ( lik)

( ma3aay
a)

( ma3aak
)

( 3andik) ( 3andu) ( 3andaha)

( likii) (luh) (laha)

( ma3a
akii)

( ma3aah) ( ma3aa
ha)

we have you (pl.) have they have

( 3andena) ( 3anduku
)

( lina) ( luku) (luhum

)

( ma3aan
a)

( ma3a
aku)

( 3anduhu
m)

( ma3aa
hum)

And here are the negations:

I don' t have you (ma sc. sing. ) don' t have you (fem . sing. ) don' t have he does n't have she does n't

( ma3a
ndii)

( malii
)

( ma
ma3ii)

( ma3a
ndak)

( mal
ak)

( ma
m3ak)

( ma3a
ndikii)

( ma
lkii)

(ma
m3akii)

( ma3a
nduu)

( mal
uu)

(m
am3ahuu)

( ma3
andahaa)

( ma
lhaa)

(ma
m3ahaa)

have we don' t have you (pl.) don' t have they don' t have

( ma3a
ndenaa)

( mal
naa)

(ma
m3anaa)

( ma3
andukuu)

( m
alkuu)

(m
am3akuu)

(ma3
anduhum)

(ma
lhum)

(m
am3ahum)

To shift into the past tense, you say preposition + pronoun suffix.

(kaan) or

(makan) followed by the

3amal kida) I had no idea that he was the one who did that.

(makan 3andi fikra innu howwa lli

Modals in standard and Egyptian Arabic

Modals in standard Arabic Modals in Egyptian Arabic

Modals in standard Arabic

In English, modal verbs include "can," "may," "might," "must," "should," and "would" verbs that are not conjugated or negated in the same way as regular verbs. Standard Arabic doesn't have exact equivalents of these verbs, but it has words that are used in much the same way including phrases beginning with

although if you remove the

. Here's a list (all of these are followed by imperfect-mood verbs,

, you can follow them with a

):

 (yajib an) ( 3ala + object + an) ( min al-laazim an) ( min al-waajib an) ( min aD-Daruuri an) (yanbai an) ( min al-mafruuD an) ( min al-muftaraD an) (yumkin an) ( min al-mumkin an) ( min al-mustaHiil an) ( min al-mutawaqqa3 an) ( min al-muntaZar an) ( min as-sahl an) ( min al-yasiir an) ( min aS-Sa3b an) ( min al-jadiir
bid-dikr anna)

must, should must have to, it is necessary to it is necessary to it is necessary to should should should, ought to might, may it is possible to it is impossible to it is expected that it is expected that it is easy to it is easy to it is hard to it's worth mentioning that it's well-established that it's (well-)known that

( min at-taabit anna) ( min al-ma3ruuf

anna)

 ( min al-waaDiH anna) ( min al-mafhuum anna) ( min al-murajja3 an) ( min al-muHtamal an) ( min al-muqarrar an) ( min al-muttafaq
3aleihi an)

it's clear that it's understood that it's most likely that it's probable that it's been decided that it's been agreed that it's customary to it's preferable that it's better that it's more suitable/proper to it's natural that it's forbidden to it's permitted to

( min al-mu3taad an) ( min al-mustaHsan

an)

( min al-aHsan an) ( min al-ajdar an) ( min aT-Tabii3ii an) ( min al-mamnuu3 an) ( min al-masmuuH an)
To shift to the past, add add

(kaan) before the phrase. To shift to the future,

(sayakuun) beforehand. For negation, add

(laysa) before it.

Examples:

al-amn?)

(hal yajib munaaqaat qaDaaya mitl al-kaarita l-insaaniyya fii burma fii majlis

Should issues like the humanitarian disaster in Burma be discussed in the Security Council?

" "


miSriyyiin) anger).

(fiilm iiraani 3an itiyaal as-saadaat min al-mutawaqqa3 an yatiir aDab al-

An Iranian movie about Sadat's assassination is expected to anger Egyptians (lit. excite Egyptians'

ila Zaahira ida lam tuwDi3 liha Huluul munaasiba wa-jidriyya) This problem may turn into a phenomenon if appropriate and radical solutions for it are not found.

(haadihi l-mukila min al-mumkin an tataHawwil

laday ru'yatu jeian ariiban yansaHib min arDu) land.

(min aT-Tabii3i an yafraH al-muwaaTin, ayya muwaaTin,

It's natural for a citizen, any citizen, to rejoice at the sight of a foreign army withdrawing from his

as-salaam fil-waqt nafsu) progress in the issues of Gaza and the peace process at the same time.

(ida lam nastaTi3 tajaawuz al-inqisaamaat daaxil al-mujtama3 al-

filasTiini fa-sayakuun min aS-Sa3b jiddan taHqiiq taqaddum fi mawDuu3eiyy azza wa-3amaliyyat If we can't overcome the divisions within Palestinian society, then it will be very difficult to achieve

Modals in Egyptian Arabic

Egyptian Arabic uses many of the same modals listed above, but without the Usually they are followed by an imperfect-tense verb.

...

( laazim) ( Daruuri) ( il-mafruuD)

must, have to must should

( mumkin) ( mustaHiil) (yemkin) ( gaayiz) ( sahl) ( Sa3b) (mamnuu3) ( masmuuH)

can, it's possible it's impossible perhaps may, it is possible that it's easy to it's hard to it's forbidden to it's permitted to

There are also modals that are active participles. Remember that all active participles act as adjectives, and thus have masculine, feminine, and plural forms.

- - ( 3aayiz - 3ayza - 3ayziin) - - ( naawi - nawya - nawyiin) - - '( aa3id - 'a3da - 'a3diin) - - ( 3ammaal - 3ammaala 3ammaliin)
There are also modals that you attach a pronoun suffix to:

want to intending to continuing to continuing to

( nifs-) '( aSd-) ( zamaan-) ( tann-)

to feel like to mean to must have - indicates something happening at the proper or expected time continuing to

 (ya reit - suffix

optional)
Again, to shift to the past, add add

wish

(kaan) before the phrase. To shift to the future,

(haykuun) beforehand. For negation, add

(mi) before it.

Examples:

mawDuu3 'abl ma taaxod qaraar) You should've thought about it before you made a decision.

(kaan laazim tifakkar fel-

kwayyis) We should all spend our time well.

(il-mafruuD innena kollena ni'Di wa't

I didn't mean to annoy you.

(makan 'aSdi adaayi'ak)

witkallemt bi-'alb gaamid) I wish I hadn't talked so openly and bravely.

(ya reitni mafataHt sidri

(zamanha gayya)

She ought to be coming (soon now).

(zamaanak gu3t)

You must be hungry by now.

xilSit law kunti sa3idtiini) Everything would've been finished by now if you'd helped me.

(kaan zamaan kulle Haaga

(nifsi asaafir libnaan)

I'd like to travel to Lebanon.

(nawya aSHa badri)

I intend to get up early.

Troubles keep on befalling us.

(il-balaawi 3ammaala titHaddif 3aleina)

di 3ammaala tkoHH fi wesT i-aari3) This beat-up old car keeps coughing in the middle of the street.

(il-3arabiyya l-kaHyaana

Nouns in Egyptian Arabic

Gender - making masculine nouns feminine Number - forming the dual and plural forms of nouns

o o o o

Dual nouns Broken plurals Regular masculine plurals Regular feminine plurals

Nouns: gender
Nouns are the names of things, whether objects, people, or places. Nouns in Arabic, both human and non-human, are either masculine or feminine. Usually, if a (singular) noun ends in a ta marbuuTa (, pronounced -a), it is feminine, and if it doesn't end in a ta marbuuTa, it's masculine.

( beit)
house

masculine noun

( a''a)
apartment

feminine noun

However, there are exceptions. All of these words are feminine, even though they don't end in a ta marbuuTa:

( naar) ( sama) ( arD)

fire sky land/earth

( ams) ( riiH) ( 3ein) (iid) ( ruuH) ( Harb)

sun wind eye hand soul war

Nouns that can refer to both men and women (like job titles) can be made feminine with the addition of the suffix

(-a).

Masculine teacher engineer actor artist

Feminine

( mudarris) (mohandis) ( mumassil) ( fannaan)

( mudarrisa) (mohandisa) ( mumassila) ( fannaana)

Nouns: number
Dual nouns In Arabic, if you're talking about two things, you need to use the dual form of the noun. Just add the suffix

(-ein) to the masculine singular form of the noun.

Singular book window

Dual

( kitaab) ( ibbaak)

( kitaabein) ( ibbaakein)
, -a), you need to "untie it" change it to ("sentence") as an example:

Note: If the singular form ends in a taa marbuuTa ( a

before adding the

suffix. Take the word


Add the

(gomla)

"Untie" the taa marbuuTa (replace it with a

):

suffix:

(gomlatein) - "two sentences"

Note: While you can use the "

suffix to talk about two people, usually it's better to say

(itnein) + [plural noun]":

Singular teacher engineer

Dual

( mudarris) (mohandis)

( itnein mudarrisiin) ( itnein mohandisiin)

If you want to talk about a pair of things, like socks or shoes, you should use the singular form of the noun, and it'll be understood that you're talking about a pair. If you want to talk about one item

out of a pair, say

(farda min), literally "an individual from." (laazim ateri gazma gdiida)

I need to buy a new pair of shoes. - Note that although "gazma" technically means "shoe," it's understood that you mean a pair of shoes.

understood to mean a pair. Broken plurals

(ana mi la'ya farda min araabi)

I can't find one of my socks. - Again, note that "araabi" technically means just "my sock," but it's

Most Arabic nouns have broken (irregular) plurals. A few examples:

Singular book child/boy sentence

Plural

( kitaab) (walad) ( gomla)

( kutub) ( awlaad) ( gomal)

With these nouns, you simply have to memorize their plural forms until you internalize the broken plural patterns. Eventually, once you've memorized enough broken plurals, you'll start being able to predict the plural forms of new nouns.

Regular masculine plurals There are some nouns that have regular (sound) plurals. Almost all masculine nouns that have regular plurals fall under the category of job titles etc. that can refer to either men or a mixed group of men and women. To make one of these nouns plural, you simply add the suffix

(-iin).

Singular teacher engineer actor artist

Plural

( mudarris) (mohandis) ( mumassil) ( fannaan)

( mudarrisiin) (mohandisiin) ( mumassiliin) ( fannaaniin)

could be a bunch of male

Note: In Arabic, plural human nouns that take the masculine form can refer to either a group of all men, or a group of men and women. So a group of

engineers, or a mixed group of male and female engineers. Regular feminine plurals To make a feminine noun (that doesn't have a broken plural form) plural, you drop the taa marbuuTa and add the suffix take this plural form (see

(-aat). Many foreign loanwords, even some that are masculine, and

).

Singular car word clinic jacket compute r

Plural

( 3arabiyya) ( kelma) ( 3iyaada) ( akitta) ( kombiyuuter

)

( 3arabiyyaat) ( kalimaat) ( 3iyaadaat) ( akittaat) ( kombiyuuteraat

)

Note: If you want to talk about a group of all women, you take the masculine singular form of the noun and, again, add the

suffix.

Singular teacher engineer

Feminine plural

( mudarris) (mohandis)

( mudarrisaat) (mohandisaat)

actor artist

( mumassil) ( fannaan)

( mumassilaat) ( fannaanaat)

Numbers in Egyptian Arabic

The numbers from 1 to 10

Noun-number construction for 1: [singular noun] + [form of the noun in gender] (for emphasis)

that agrees with

(bint waHda) - (only) one girl

Noun-number construction for 2: [dual noun] +

(for emphasis)

(bintein itnein) - (only) two girls

Noun-number construction for 3 through 10: [short form of the number] + [plural noun]

(talat banaat) - three girls

The numbers from 11 to 19

Noun-number construction for 11 and up: [number] + [singular noun]

(xamastaaar bint) - fifteen girls

Multiples of 10

To read out numbers from 21 to 99: [number in ones place] wa[multiple of ten]

(itnein wa-talatiin), 32

Multiples of 100

To read out numbers from 101 to 999: [multiple of 100] + [number in ones place] + [multiple of ten] - "wa" comes before the last number

(meyya wa-xamsa), 105 (metein waaHid wa-xamsiin), 251

Multiples of 1,000

To read out numbers from 1,001 to 999,999: [multiple of 1,000] + [multiple of 100] + [number in ones place] + [multiple of 10]

(alfein wa-sitta), 2,006 (alf sab3a wa-xamsiin), 1,057

wa-3iriin), 10,426

(3aar talaaf rub3omeyya sitta

xamsiin alf tus3omeyya tamanya wa-talatiin), 51,938 wa-arbi3iin alf tultomeyya xamsa wa-sittiin), 147,365

(waaHid wa-

(meyya sab3a

10,000+

The cardinal and ordinal numbers from 1 to 10

"Short form" (see below) Ordinal numbers (masc. fem.)

Cardinal numbers

( Sifr
)

(wa
aHid)

1s t

- ( aw
wil - uula)

( itne
in)

2n d

- ( taa
ni - tanya)

( tala
ata)

( tal
at)

3r d

- ( taali
t - talta)

( ar
ba3a)

( arb
a3)

4t h

- ( ra
abi3 rab3a)

( xa
msa)

( x
amas)

5t h

- ( x
aamis xamsa)

( sitta)

( sitt
)

6t h

- ( s
aadis sadsa)

( sab
3a)

( sab
a3)

7t h

- ( sa
abi3 sab3a)

(ta
manya)

( ta
man)

8t h

- ( taa
min tamna)

( tis3
a)

( tisa
3)

9t h

- ( ta
asi3 tas3a)

1 0

( 3a
ara)

( 3a
ar)

10 th

- ( 3
aair 3ara)

Note: While the rest of Arabic is written right-to-left, numbers are written left-to-right!

So

is 356, for instance.

and its feminine form,

waHda, are usually used after a single noun for emphasis.

It must agree with the gender of the noun it's modifying.

( raagil waaHid)

(only) one man

 ( kelma waHda)
In a similar way,

(only) one word

usually follows a dual noun and is used for emphasis. It is invariable,

though, so there's no gender agreement with the noun.

( kitaabein itnein) ( bintein itnein)

singular and come after a cardinal number.

(only) two books (only) two girls

However, there's a special instance here: singular count nouns. These nouns are always

1. The kinds of nouns you use in ordering food, drinks, and so on:

(waaHid 'ahwa) ( itnein aay) ( xamsa biira)

value):

one (cup of) coffee two (cups of) tea five beers

2. Most nouns indicating some kind of measurement (such as weight, length, distance, monetary

3. The words

(waaHid kilometr) one kilometer two Egyptian pounds ( itnein gineih) three piasters ( talaata 'ir) two million ( itnein milyoon) ( arba3a bilyoon) four billion
(milyoon), million, and (bilyoon), billion

On to the numbers 3 through 10! The "short form" of these numbers must precede the plural form of a noun. Here we don't have to worry about gender agreement.

( talat ayyaam) ( arba3 siniin) ( xamas sittaat) ( sitt welaad)

three days four years five women six boys

( saba3 aflaam) ( taman wuruud) ( tisa3 awraa') ( 3aar kutub)

seven movies eight roses nine pieces of paper ten books

Note that with any number from 3 up, you may make the number + noun phrase definite by simply adding a definite article to the first word in the number.

( it-talat ayyaam) ( il-arba3 siniin) ( il-xamas sittaat)

the three days the four years the five women

The numbers from 11 to 19

Cardinal numbers 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

( Hadaaar) ( itnaaar) ( talaattaaar) ( arba3taaar) ( xamastaaar) ( sittaaar) ( saba3taaar) ( tamantaaar) ( tisa3taaar)

With any number from 11 and up, the number must precede a singular noun. There is no gender agreement.

( Hadaaar walad) ( itnaaar 3arabiyya)

eleven boys twelve cars

Note that with all numbers from 11 up, the ordinal numbers are the same as the cardinal numbers.

Multiples of ten from 20 to 90

Cardinal numbers 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

( 3eriin) ( talatiin) ( arbi3iin) ( xamsiin) ( sittiin) ( sab3iin) ( tamaniin) ( tis3iin)

For numbers that fall within this range, you literally say "one and twenty, two and twenty, three and twenty," etc.

(waaHid w3eriin) ( itnein wa-talatiin) ( talata warbi3iin)

21 32 43

And if you want to say "21 cars" or whatever, you just put the singular form of the noun right after the number.

Multiples of 100 from 100 to 900

Cardinal numbers 10 0 Form used before a counted noun

20 0

30 0

40 0

50 0

60 0

70 0

80 0

(meyya) ( metein) ( tultomeyya) ( rub3omeyya

)

(miit) ( metein) ( tultomiit) ( rub3omiit

)

( xumsomey
ya)

( xumsom
iit)

( suttomeyya) (sub3omeyya) ( tumnomeyya

)

( suttomiit) ( sub3omiit
)

( tumnomiit)

90 0

( tus3omeyya
)

( tus3omiit
)

For numbers that fall within this range, you do the same thing as above but add the multiple of 100 to the beginning.

(meyya waaHid w3eriin) ( xumsomeyya itnein wa-talatiin) ( suttomeyya talata warbi3iin) (meyya witnein)

121 532 643 102

Multiples of 1,000
Cardinal numbers 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,000

( alf) ( alfein) ( talat talaaf) ( arba3 talaaf) ( xamas talaaf) ( sit talaaf) ( saba3 talaaf) ( taman talaaf) ( tisa3 talaaf) ( 3aar t-alaaf)

For numbers in this range, see this "formula": [multiple of 1,000] + [multiple of 100] + [number in ones place] + [multiple of 10]:

( alfein wa-sitta) ( alf sab3a wa-xamsiin) ( 3aar talaaf

rub3omeyya sitta wa-3iriin)

2,006 1,057 10,426

(waaHid waxamsiin alf tus3omeyya tamanya wa-talatiin)

51,938

(meyya
sab3a wa-arbi3iin alf tultomeyya xamsa wa-sittiin)

147,365

10,000+
Cardinal numbers 11,000 12,000 etc. 100,000 200,000 500,000 1 million 2 million 3

( Hadaaar alf) ( itnaaar alf)

... (number from 11 onward + alf)

(miit alf) ( metein alf) \ ( xumsomiit

alf/nuSSe milyoon)

(milyoon) ( itnein milyoon) ( talaata milyoon)

million 1 billion

( bilyoon)

Demonstrative and relative pronouns in standard and Egyptian Arabic

Demonstrative pronouns Relative pronouns -

(ism al-iaara)

(al-ism al-mawSuul)

Demonstrative pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these, those) point to and identify a noun or pronoun. In standard Arabic, the demonstrative pronoun comes before the noun it refers to; in 3ammiyya, it follows the noun. While fuSHa has specific words for "that" and "those" (as opposed to "this" and "these"), 3ammiyya does not.

Standard Arabic

Egyptian Arabic

I like this book.

( uHibbu haada lkitaab)

( baHebb ilkitaab da)

Did you see that girl?

( ra'eita tilka l-bint?)

( oft ilbint di?)

Here are all the demonstrative pronouns in Arabic:

Standard Arabic this (masc.) this man

Egyptian Arabic

( haada) ( haada r-rajul)

( da) ( irraagil da)

this lesson this (fem.)*

( haada d-dars) ( haadihi)

( iddars da)

( di)

* Note that all plural non-human nouns are grammatially treated as feminine, and this applies to demonstrative pronouns (as well as other things like adjectives). this girl this pillow These books are long

( haadihi l-bint) ( haadihi lmixadda)

( ilbint di)

( ilmixadda di)

( haadihi
l-kutub Tawiila)

( il-kutub
di Tawiila)

These cars are new that (masc.) that man that (fem.) that girl these (masc. dual) *

( haadihi s-sayaraat
jadiida)

( il3arabiyyaat di gediida)

( daalika) ( daalika r-rajul) ( tilka) ( tilka l-bint) | ( haadaani/haadeini)* ( dool)

is used with nouns in the nominative case ( ;) is used with nouns in the genitive and accusative cases (

).
These (two) boys are Egyptian

( haadaani lwaladaan miSriyaan)

( ilwaladein dool maSriyiin)

I saw these (two) boys these (fem. dual) *

( ra'eitu haadeini lwaladein)

( oft ilwaladein dool)

| ( haataani/haateini)*

( dool)

is used with nouns in the nominative case ( ;) is used with nouns in the genitive and accusative cases ( ). these ( haataani l ( il(two) girls I saw these (two) girls these (masc. and fem. pl.) these men bintaan) bintein dool)

( ra'eitu
haateini l-bintein)

( oft ilbintein dool)

( haa'ulaa) ( haa'ulaa rrijaal)

( dool) ( ir-riggaala
dool)

these girls

( haa'ulaa lbanaat)

( ilbanaat dool)

those (masc. and fem. pl.) those men those girls

( uulaa'ika) ( uulaa'ika rrijaal)

( uulaa'ika lbanaat)

Relative pronouns
Relative pronouns (such as "that, which, who") begin relative clauses, which act like adjectives and describe the noun they follow. In Arabic, if the relative pronoun is referring back to a noun that is a direct object or the object of a preposition (like "the book [that] I read," "the girl [whom] I wrote to"), a pronoun suffix referring to this noun must be added to the relative pronoun.

(al-kitaab alladi qara'tuhu)

the book that I read - lit. "the book that I read it"

(al-bint allati katabtu laha)

the girl whom I wrote to - lit. "the girl whom I wrote to her"

If you are referring to a noun that is indefinite, you do not use a relative pronoun.

(lii zamiil yatakallam sittu luaat)

I have a colleague who speaks six languages. - Note that although English still uses the relative pronoun "who," there's no corresponding pronoun in Arabic.

These two rules hold for both standard and Egyptian Arabic. Relative pronouns in standard and Egyptian Arabic The Egyptian dialect has only one relative pronoun:

(illi) - used in reference to all nouns, regardless of gender/number.

Standard Arabic, on the other hand, has a whole bunch of relative pronouns:

Standard Arabic used in reference to a masculine singular noun

Egyptian Arabic

( alladi) ( ar-rajul alladidahab

ila amriika)

( illi) ( irraagil illi raaH amriika)

the man who went to the US

the book (that) I read used in reference to a feminine singular noun

( alkitaab alladi qara'tuhu)

( il-kitaab
illi 'areitu)

( allati)

( illi)

* Again, remember that all plural non-human nouns are grammatially treated as feminine singular.

the girl who studied Arabic

( al-bint allati darasit

al-3arabiyya)

( il-bint
illi darsit 3arabi)

the movies (that) I saw

( alaflaam allati ra'eituha)

( ilaflaam illi oftaha)

used in reference to a masculine dual noun *

| ( alladaani/alladeini)

( illi)

is used with nouns in the nominative case ( ;) is used with nouns in the genitive and accusative cases ( ). the two teams who ( al-fariiqaan ( ilreached the
finals alladaani waSalaa ila nnihaa'i) farii'ein illi waSalu nnihaa'i) used in reference to a feminine dual noun *

| ( allataani/allateini)

( illi)

is used with nouns in the nominative case ( ;) is used with nouns in the genitive and accusative cases ( ). the two women who ( al-imra'ataan stayed in the
village I gave the present to the two girls who wanted it used in reference to a masculine allataani baqiyataa fi l-qaria)

( a3Teitu lhadiyya lil-bintein allateini araadaataha)

( alladiina)

( illi)

plural noun

the Egyptians who work in the Gulf

( al-maSriyyuun
alladiina ya3maluun fil-xaliij)

( ilmaSriyyiin illi bitaalu filxaliig)

used in reference to a feminine plural noun

| ( allaati/allawaati) ( an-nisaa'
allawaati ya3milna fi majaal al-handasa)

( illi) (issittaat illi bitaalu fi magaal ilhandasa)

the women who work in the field of engineering

Note: Relative pronouns are only used to refer to a definite noun. If you are not referring to a definite noun, you would not use a relative pronoun. See these examples:

Standard Arabic I talked to the Egyptians who work in the Gulf I talked with Egyptians who work in

Egyptian Arabic

(takallamtu ma3a
l-maSriyyiin alladiina ya3maluun fil-xaliij)

( kallimt ilmaSriyyiin illi bitaalu fil-xaliig)

the Gulf

( takallamtu ma3a
maSriyyiin ya3maluun filxaliij)

(kallimte
maSriyyiin bitaalu fil-xaliig)

Note: Egyptian Arabic also has the pronouns

(aho),

(ahe), and

(ahom). When

pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable (ho, he, hom), these words introduce a word/phrase with a "there it is" meaning.

(he gayya)

There she comes.

When these words are pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable (ah, ah, ahm), they follow a noun and act as demonstrative pronouns drawing attention to the noun.

(il-mudarris fein? - il-mudarris ah)

Where's the teacher? - The teacher's right over there.

-
ah)

(ma3aak il-muftaaH? - il-muftaaH ma3aaya

Do you have the key (with you)? - I have the key (with me) right here.

Possessive pronouns in standard and Egyptian Arabic

Possessive pronouns (my, your, his, her, our, their) are used to indicate ownership of something. In Arabic, as with object pronouns, these take the form of suffixes; they are attached to the noun that's owned.

(beiti)

my house

(kitaabu)

his book

(uxtuhum)

their sister

Note: If the noun that's owned ends in a taa' marbuuTa ( and made into a

), the taa' marbuuTa must be "untied"

before the pronoun suffix is added:

(xaala) - maternal aunt

Untie the taa' marbuuTa to get

and then add the pronoun suffix:

singular.

(xalti) - my maternal aunt

The object and possessive pronoun suffixes are exactly the same except for the first person

Possessive pronouns in standard and Egyptian Arabic:

English my your (masc.) Singular your (fem.) his her our Dual your their our your (masc.) Plural your (fem.) their (masc.) their (fem.)

Standard Arabic

Egyptian Arabic

(-i) (-ka) (-ki) (-u) (-ha) (-na) (-kuma) (-huma) (-na) (-kum) (-kunna) (-hum) (-hunna) (-ku/-kum) \ (-ak) (-ik)

(-hom)

Note: In standard Arabic, if the noun that's owned is dual (ends in the noun has a sound masculine plural suffix ( final

-aan or

-ein), or if

-uun or

-iin), you need to drop the

before adding the pronoun suffix.

 (waa
lidaan) two parents

(waali
daahum) their parents

( mu'a
yyiduun) supporters

( mu'ay
yiduuh) his supporters

(yadei
n) two hands

(yadeiha)
her hands

( mud
arrisiin) teachers

( mud
arrisiyya) my teachers

Note: In Egyptian Arabic, if a noun, verb, or preposition ends in a vowel that is not a taa' marbuuTa, some of the pronoun suffixes you'll need to use with it will change. For object/possessive pronouns:

( -ni) stays the same. ( -i) ( -ya) ( -ak) ( -k) ( -ik) ( -ki) ( -u) ( -h)
Also, the final vowel in the noun/verb/whatever will need to be lengthened. Some examples:

(war
a) behind

(waraay
a) behind me

( Hawaa
li) around

( Hawaleiy
ya) around me

( li-)
for

(liik)
for you (masc. sing.)

(warra)
to show

(warraak)
he showed you (masc. sing.)

( 3al
a) on

( 3aleik
i) on you (fem. sing.)

( baaba)
dad

( babaaki)
your dad (fem. sing.)

( ma3a

( ma3aah

( fi)

( fiih)

) with

) with him in in him

Note: In colloquial Arabic, when used with possessive suffixes, the words and

(ab), "father,"

(ax), "brother," take the form

(abu) and

(axu). Again, the final -u vowel is

lengthened before the suffix is added.

( abuuya)
my father

( axuuya)
my brother

( abuuk)
your (masc. sing.) father

( axuuk)
your (masc. sing.) brother

( abuuki)
your (fem. sing.) father

( axuuki)
your (fem. sing.) brother

( abuuh)
his father etc.

( axuuh)
his brother

Note: Usually, you do not use possessive pronoun suffixes with dual nouns in Egyptian Arabic. Instead, you say "il-[noun]ein bituu3[possessive pronoun suffix]."

my two books

( il-kitabein bituu3i) ( rigleiyya)

my (two) legs

There are, however, a few exceptions:

( 3eineiyya)
my (two) eyes

( iideiyya)
my (two) hands

( 3eineik)
your eyes

( rigleik)
your legs

( iideik)
your hands

etc.

Subject and object pronouns in standard and Egyptian Arabic

Subject pronouns Object pronouns -

(Damaa'ir al-faa3il) (Damaa'ir al-maf3uul bihi)

Subject pronouns
Subject pronouns (I, you, we, he, she, we, they) take the place of a noun and function as the subject of a sentence.

I am from the US.

(ana min amriika)

(howwa mohandis)

He is an engineer.

Note: In Arabic, the subject pronoun is frequently dropped. You can tell from a verb conjugation who the subject is, so it's not really necessary to use the subject pronoun in such cases except for emphasis. However, in equational (verbless) sentences like the two above, you do need the subject pronoun. Subject pronouns in standard and Egyptian Arabic

English I you (masc.) Singular you (fem.) he she Dual we you

Standard Arabic

Egyptian Arabic

)ana( )anta( )anti( )howwa( )heyya( )naHnu( )antuma( )inta( )inti(

they we you (masc.) Plural you (fem.) they (masc.) they (fem.)

)humaa( )naHnu( )antum( )antunna( )homa( )hunna( )eHna( )intu(

)homa(

Note: In English, there is only one second-person pronoun, "you," which is used whether you're talking to one person, two people, or more. But in Arabic, as you see above, there are masculine and feminine versions of "you," as well as singular, dual (standard Arabic only), and plural versions:

Arabic), and ( (

\ \

if you're addressing one person,

if you're addressing two (in standard

if you're addressing three or more people. Note that the dual "you"

) is the same regardless of gender. In standard Arabic, there is also a dual version of "they"

- which is gender-indiscriminate as well) and masculine and feminine versions of the plural

"they" (

and

and

).

Note that Egyptian Arabic has fewer pronouns than standard Arabic, since it has no dual pronouns; it just has plural pronouns that are used to talk about two or more people, of any gender. And the colloquial

are gender-neutral.

Object pronouns
Object pronouns (me, you, us, him, her, them) are used when you do something directly to someone or something else. In Arabic, these pronouns are suffixes that are attached to the verb:

(Darabatu)

She hit him.

(yakuruuni)

They thank me.

Object pronouns in standard and Egyptian Arabic

English me you (masc.) Singular you (fem.) him her us Dual you them us you (masc.) Plural you (fem.) them (masc.) them (fem.)

Standard Arabic

Egyptian Arabic

(-ni) (-ka) (-ki) (-u) (-ha) (-na) (-kuma) (-huma) (-na) (-kum) (-kunna) (-hum) (-hunna) (-ku/-kum) \ (-ak) (-ik)

(-hom)

Note: In colloquial Arabic, latter.

and

are both used, but the former is more colloquial than the

Here are some examples of object pronoun usage, using the verb

(sa'al) - "to ask."

English He asked me He asked you (masc.) Singular He asked you (fem.) He asked him He asked her

Standard Arabic

Egyptian Arabic (sa'alni)

(sa'alaka) (sa'alaki)

(sa'alak) (sa'alik)

(sa'alahu [more standard] or sa'alu [more colloquial]) (sa'alaha [more standard] or sa'alha [more

colloquial]) He asked us Dual He asked you He asked them He asked us He asked you (masc.) Plural He asked you (fem.) He asked them (masc.) He asked them (fem.) (sa'alna) (sa'alkuma) (sa'alhuma) (sa'alna) (sa'alkum) (sa'alku/sa'alkum) \ (sa'alkunna) (sa'alhum) (sa'alhom) (sa'alhunna)

The conditional sentence in Egyptian Arabic

Introduction Possible conditionals Impossible/counter-to-fact conditionals Examples - for comparison of the two kinds of conditionals

Introduction
There are two types of conditional statements: the possible (If you work hard, you'll do well; if I see Samia today, I'll ask her out) and the impossible/counter-to-fact (If I were rich, I'd buy a Mercedes; if I'd known that, I wouldn't have done what I did). There are two main words for "if" in Arabic: there's also the more literary/classical conditions, while

(law) and

(ida in fuSHa/iza in 3ammiyya). (And

.) In standard Arabic,

is reserved for possible

is used for impossible conditions. In Egyptian Arabic, however, the two words being more common.

are usually used interchangeably, with

Possible conditionals
The "if" clause may begin with

or

, followed by:

possibility 1: a verb in the past tense or with

only a verb in the present tense

( iza oft aSHaabi)

if I see my friends

(law tiruuH is-senema bukra)

if you go to the movies tomorrow

possibility 2: some form of prepositional phrase

paired with a verb, participle, modal, or nominal or

( iza
kunte tiHebbe tiigi) if you'd like to come

( iza kunte
faaDi) if you're free

( iza
kunte 3aayiz tiigi) if you want to come

( iza
kaan 3andi l-wa't) if I have time

(law kaan
mumkin) if it's possible
The "then" clause may begin with a future-tense verb or command.

( hatkallem ma3aahom)
I'll talk to them

 ( ta3aala ma3aaya)
come with me
Examples:

( iza zakirte kwayyis,

hatgiib daragaat 3alya) If you study well, you'll get high grades.

(law ofte Dina nnahaarda, ha3zemha 3ala l-3aa) If I see Dina today, I'll invite her to dinner

(law tiruuHi s-senema

bokra, haagi ma3aaki) If you go to the movies tomorrow, I'll come with you.

(law kan da
osluubak, matiz3ale iza makallemtake taani) If that's your way of doing things, (then) don't get upset if I don't talk to you again.

(law kunte 3aayiz tiigi

ma3aaya, yalla nruuH) If you want to come with me, then let's go.

( iza kunte tiHebbe ti'3od, itfaDDal)

If you'd like to sit down, then go ahead.

(law ig-gaww kwayyis, yalla

ninzil wa nitmaa) If the weather is nice, let's go down and take a walk.

(law itfarragt 3ala l-film da,

hatHebbu) If you watch this movie, you'll like it.

Impossible/counter-to-fact conditionals
Again, the "if" clause may begin with of

or

. It is usually followed by the appropriate form

(law kunte
oftu) if you'd seen him

. What follows that may be a past- or present-tense verb, modal, or active participle.

(law kunte
bitHebbeni) if you loved me

(law kunte
faakir) if I('d) remembered

(law kaan mumkin)

if it had been possible

Note that, as with the last example, this clause may be identical to its "possible" equivalent. What really distinguishes possible from impossible conditionals is the following: The "then" clause must begin with an appropriate form of

! It is then followed by a past-

tense verb, if you are talking about something you would/wouldn't have done, or a simple present/future-tense verb if you're talking about something you would do (right now).

( kaan geh)
he would've come

\( kunt a'ollak/ha'ollak)
I would tell you
Examples:

( iza kunte
zakirte kwayyis, kunte gibte daragaat aHsan) If you had studied well, you would've gotten better grades.

(law ma3aaya
filuus, kunt ishtareit 3arabiyya Mercedes)

If I had money, I'd buy a Mercedes.

( law kan mumkin aruuH ma3aak, kunte roHt, laakin ana kunt
mauula) If I could've gone with you, I would've, but I was busy.

( law kunte 3arfa inne da hayeHSal ba3de maxrug, makunte

xaragt) If I'd known that would happen after I left, I wouldn't have left.

( law makunte
enta 'oltili, kaan Hadde taani 'alli) If you hadn't told me, someone else would've.

(law kunt
bitHebbeni, makunte 'olt illenta 'oltu) If you loved me, you wouldn't have have said what you said.

(law ig-gaww kan kwayyis,

kunna roHna l-blaa) If the weather had been good, we would've gone to the beach.

(law kunt itfarragt

3ala l-film da, kunte Habbeitu) If you'd watched this movie, you would've liked it.

( law makunte niseit telefooni l-maHmuul, kunt

raddeit 3ala l-mukalma beta3tek) If I hadn't forgotten my cell phone, I would've replied to your call.

Examples for comparison of possible and impossible conditionals

 \ (law la'eit/alaa'i l-gawaab,

ha'ollak) If I find the answer, I'll tell you.

(law 3etert 3ala l-gawaab, 'olli)

If you come across the answer, tell me.

(law kunte 3arfa l-gawaab,

kunt 'oltilak) If I'd known the answer, I would've told you.

(law kunte 3arfa lgawaab, kunt ha'ollak) If I knew the answer, I would tell you.

( Hatta wa-law
kunte 3arfa l-gawaab, makunte 'oltilak) Even if I'd known the answer, I wouldn't have told you.

( Hatta wa-law
kunte 3arfa l-gawaab, makunte ha'ollak) Even if I knew the answer, I wouldn't tell you.

Introduction to the Arabic sentence

Types of sentences Subject and predicate Negation

Types of sentences
In traditional Arabic grammar, there are two basic types of sentence, based on what the sentence's first word is.

1.

first word is a verb.

(al-jumla l-ismiyya) - the nominal sentence, where the

sentence's first word is a noun.

. ( al-walad miSri) - The boy is Egyptian.

2. (al-jumla l-fi3liyya) - the verbal sentence, where the sentence's

. (wulida l-walad fi miSr) - The boy was born in Egypt.

Those categories are different from the ones used in many Arabic classes in the West, where sentences are classified simply according to whether or not they include a verb regardless of where the verb is in the sentence. 1. Equational sentence - a sentence without a verb.

. ( al-walad miSri) - The boy is Egyptian.

Although this sentence contains a verb in English, it doesn't in Arabic. Remember that since Arabic doesn't use a present-tense form of "to be," this is a verbless sentence consisting only of a noun and adjective. It literally translates as "The boy Egyptian"; the "is" is understood.

. ( fi usrati talaatat afraad) - There are three people in my family.

Again, the English translation contains a verb ("are"), but the original Arabic doesn't. It literally translates as "In my family three individuals." Since there's no present-tense form of "to be," "In my family [are] three individuals" is implied. 2. Verbal sentence - a sentence with a verb.

. (wulida l-walad fi miSr) - The boy was born in Egypt.

Subject and predicate

Now let's look at the parts of these sentences.

The subject (

al-mubtada') is what the sentence is talking about. It could be a

noun (the boy; Cairo; Ahmed), pronoun (I; he; they), or noun phrase (the math teacher; a long book).

The predicate ( Arabic

al-xabar) tells us something about the subject. The

means a piece of news, so you can think of the predicate as delivering news

about the subject. It may be an adjective (happy), verb (woke up), or noun (student). Here are some simple examples. The subject is in bold, and the predicate is underlined.

.( al-walad miSri)
The boy is Egyptian. - The subject is a noun, and the predicate is an adjective.

.( bint 3ammi mudarrisa)

My cousin is a teacher. - The subject is a noun phrase (a genitive construction), and the predicate is a noun.

.( howwa Tawiil)
He is tall. - The subject is a pronoun, and the predicate is an adjective.

.( xarajat Manaal mubakkiran)

Manal went out early. - The subject is a (proper) noun, and the predicate is a verb paired with an adverb.

Note: In sentences with a verb, standard Arabic usually follows a Verb-Subject-Object order, though sometimes it uses a Subject-Verb-Object order. The Egyptian dialect pretty much always follows a Subject-Verb-Object order.

Manal went out early.

( xarajat
Manaal mubakkiran) The boy ate an apple.

( Manaal
xargit badri)

( akala l-waladu
tuffaaHatan)

( il-walad kal
tuffaaHa)

Negation
Now, how do we negate these sentences? Negating a sentence with a verb is simple; you just negate the verb. (To learn how to negate a verb in Egyptian Arabic, go here.) Negating a sentence without a verb, however, requires a different but still quite simple approach. In standard

Arabic, you simply insert of

(laysa), conjugated to match the noun. Here are the conjugations

(to not be)

English I am not you (masc.) are not Singular you (fem.) are not he is not she is not we are not Dual you are not they (masc.) are not they (fem.) are not we are not you (masc.) are not Plural you (fem.) are not they (masc.) are not they (fem.) are not Standard Arabic )lastu( )lasta( )lasti( )laysa( )laysat( )lasna( )lastuma( )laysaa( )laysataa( )lasna( )lastum( )lastunna( )laysuu( )lasna(

Here are examples of negated verbless sentences in standard Arabic:

( ana lubnaaniyya)
I am Lebanese.

( ana lastu
lubnaaniyya) I am not Lebanese.

( bint 3ammi
mudarrisa) My cousin is a teacher.

( bint
3ammi laysat mudarrisa) My cousin is not a teacher.

 (howwa Tawiil)
He is tall.

(howwa laysa
Tawiil) He is not tall.

( min al-laazim an taSHu

mubakkiran) You need to wake up early.

( laysa min al-laazim an taSHu

mubakkiran) You don't need to wake up early.

( honaaka
xiyaar aaxar) There is another choice.

(laysa
honaaka xiyaar aaxar) There is no other choice.

( ladayha xibra fi haada lmajaal) She has experience in this field.

( laysa ladayha xibra fi haada

l-majaal) She doesn't have experience in this field.

To negate verbless sentences in Egyptian Arabic, you insert predicate.

(mi) between the subject and

( ana libnaniyya)
I am Lebanese.

( ana mi libnaniyya)
I am not Lebanese.

( bint
3ammi mudarrisa) My cousin is a teacher.

( bint 3ammi
mi mudarrisa) My cousin is not a teacher.

(howwa Tawiil)
He is tall.

(howwa mi Tawiil)
He is not tall.

( laazim
tiSHa badri)

( mi
laazim tiSHa badri)

You need to wake up early.

You don't need to wake up early.

( fii xiyaar taani)

There is another choice.

( mafii xiyaar
taani)* There is no other choice.

( 3andaha xibra fil-magaal da)

She has experience in this field.

( ma3andahaa xibra fil-magaal da)*

She doesn't have experience in this field.

* Note: In Egyptian Arabic, if a verbless sentence contains an inverted predicate (that is, where the predicate comes before the subject instead of after) consisting of either preposition and pronoun suffix, like the

, "there is," or a

, then the predicate is negated with

...

(ma...) form.

Verb conjugations for standard and Egyptian Arabic

This page contains information about the different kinds of verbs in Arabic and conjugation tables for each kind in both standard and Egyptian Arabic. First of all, there are two moods/tenses in Arabic:

the perfect/past ( completed.

al-maaDi) - used to indicate actions that have been al-muDaari3) - used to indicate actions that SaHiiH) and weak

the imperfect/present (

have not been completed yet. There are two main classes of verbs in Arabic: sound ( (

mu3tall). Here's an outline of the types of verbs: ( al-fi3l aS-SaHiiH) Sound verbs - don't have a or as one of the three root letters o ( al-fi3l aS-SaHiiH as-saalim) Regular sound
verbs

Irregular sound verbs:

( al-fi3l al-muDa33af) Geminate/doubled verbs daqqa - yadiqqu (to knock) radda - yaruddu (to reply) ( al-fi3l al-mahmuuz) Hamzated verbs - where is

where the second and third radicals of the root are the same

one of the consonants

akala - ya'kulu (to eat) sa'ala - yas'alu (to ask) bada'a - yabda'u (to begin) ( al-fi3l al-mu3tall) Weak verbs - have a or as one

or more of the root radicals

o

( al-fi3l al-mitaal) Assimilated verbs - begin with or (usually ); in the imperfect and in other situations the often
disappears

waDa3a - yaDa3u (to put) waSala - yaSilu (to arrive) ( al-fi3l al-ajwaf) Hollow verbs - the second radical is either a or ; in the perfect, the or is replaced by an alif baa3a - yabii3u (to sell) 3aada - ya3uudu (to return) ( al-fi3l al-naaqiS) Defective verbs - where the final root radical is either or a nasiya - yansa (to forget) bada - yabdu (to appear, seem)

Sound verbs ( al-fi3l aS-SaHiiH)

Sound verbs don't have a Regular sound verbs

or as one of the three root letters.

( al-fi3l aS-SaHiiH as-saalim)

This is the first type of sound verb. Regular sound verbs - perfect mood

( to write)
English I wrote you (masc.) wrote Singular you (fem.) wrote he wrote she wrote we wrote you wrote Dual they (masc.) wrote they (fem.) wrote we wrote you (masc.) wrote Plural you (fem.) wrote they (masc.) wrote they (fem.) wrote Standard Arabic )katabtu( )katabta( )katabti( )kataba( )katabat( )katabna( )katabtuma( )katabaa( )katabataa( )katabna( )katabtum( )katabtunna( )katabuu( )katabna( )katabna( )katabtuu( Egyptian Arabic )katabt( )katabt( )katabti( )katab( )katabit(

)katabuu(

Regular sound verbs - imperfect mood

( to write)
English Singular I write Standard Arabic )aktubu( Egyptian Arabic )aktib(

you (masc.) write you (fem.) write he writes she writes we write you write Dual they (masc.) write they (fem.) write we write you (masc.) write Plural you (fem.) write they (masc.) write they (fem.) write

)taktubu( )taktubiina( )yaktubu( )taktubu( )naktubu( )taktubaani( )yaktubaani( )taktubaani( )naktubu( )taktubuuna( )taktubna( )yaktubuuna( )yaktubna(

)tiktib( )tiktibi( )yiktib( )tiktib(

)niktib( )tiktibuu(

)yiktibuu(

Sound verbs ( al-fi3l aS-SaHiiH)

There are two types of irregular sound verbs. The first is: Geminate/doubled verbs

( al-fi3l al-muDa33af)
Verbs where the second and third radicals of the root are the same. Geminate verbs - perfect mood

( to reply)
English I replied Singular you (masc.) replied you (fem.) replied Standard Arabic )radadtu( )radadta( )radadti( Egyptian Arabic

)raddeit( )raddeit( )raddeiti(

he replied she replied we replied you replied Dual they (masc.) replied they (fem.) replied we replied you (masc.) replied Plural you (fem.) replied they (masc.) replied they (fem.) replied

)radda( )raddat(
)radadna( )radadtuma(

)radd( )raddit(

)raddaa( )raddataa(
)radadna( )radadtum( )radadtunna(

)raddeina( )raddeituu( )radduu(

)radduu(
)radadna(

Note that in fuSHa, the doubled consonant is separated into two consonants for all the conjugations except the highlighted ones. In 3ammiyya, though, the doubled consonant stays doubled. Geminate verbs - imperfect mood

( to reply)
English I reply you (masc.) reply Singular you (fem.) reply he replies she replies we reply you reply Dual they (masc.) reply they (fem.) reply we reply Plural you (masc.) reply Standard Arabic Egyptian Arabic

)aruddu( )taruddu( )taruddiina( )yaruddu( )taruddu( )naruddu( )taruddani( )yaruddaani( )taruddaani( )naruddu( )tarudduuna(

)arodd( )tirodd( )tiroddi( )yirodd( )tirodd(

)nirodd( )tirodduu(

you (fem.) reply they (masc.) reply they (fem.) reply

)tardudna(

)yarudduuna(
)yardudna(

)yirodduu(

In fuSHa, the doubled consonant remains doubled for the imperfect conjugations, with the exception of the second- and third-person feminine plural conjugations. In 3ammiyya, the doubled consonant again remains doubled for everything.

Sound verbs ( al-fi3l aS-SaHiiH)

The second type of irregular sound verb is: Hamzated verbs

( al-fi3l al-mahmuuz) Verbs where is one of the root consonants.

Hamzated verbs - perfect mood

( to eat)
English I ate you (masc.) ate Singular you (fem.) ate he ate she ate we ate you ate Dual they (masc.) ate they (fem.) ate Plural we ate Standard Arabic )akaltu( )akalta( )akalti( )akala( )akalat( )akalna( )akaltuma( )akalaa( )akalataa( )akalna( )akalna( Egyptian Arabic )akalt( )akalt( )akalti( )akal( )aklit(

you (masc.) ate you (fem.) ate they (masc.) ate they (fem.) ate

)akaltum( )akaltunna( )akaluu( )akalna(

)akaltuu(

)akaluu(

Note that in 3ammiyya, people usually say

( kal) rather than ( akal). However,

for the sake of direct comparison with fuSHa, I went with the latter variation for this table. Hamzated verbs - imperfect mood

( to eat)
English I eat you (masc.) eat Singular you (fem.) eat he eats she eats we eat you eat Dual they (masc.) eat they (fem.) eat we eat you (masc.) eat Plural you (fem.) eat they (masc.) eat they (fem.) eat Standard Arabic )akulu( )ta'kulu( )ta'kuliina( )ya'kulu( )ta'kulu( )na'kulu( )ta'kulaani( )ya'kulaani( )ta'kulaani( )na'kulu( )ta'kuluuna( )ta'kulna( )ya'kuluuna( )ya'kulna( )naakul( )taklu( Egyptian Arabic )aakul( )taakul( )takli( )yaakul( )taakul(

)yaklu(

Note that while in fuSHa the hamza is kept in the imperfect conjugations, in 3ammiyya it is elided into a long alif. Hamzated verbs 2 - perfect mood

( to ask)
English I asked you (masc.) asked Singular you (fem.) asked he asked she asked we asked you asked Dual they (masc.) asked they (fem.) asked we asked you (masc.) asked Plural you (fem.) asked they (masc.) asked they (fem.) asked Standard Arabic )sa'altu( )sa'alta( )sa'alti( )sa'ala( )sa'alat( )sa'alna( )sa'altuma( )sa'alaa( )sa'alataa( )sa'alna( )sa'altum( )sa'altunna( )sa'aluu( )sa'alna( )sa'alna( )sa'altuu( Egyptian Arabic )sa'alt( )sa'alt( )sa'alti( )sa'al( )sa'alit(

)sa'aluu(

Hamzated verbs 2 - imperfect mood

( to ask)
English I ask you (masc.) ask Singular you (fem.) ask he asks she asks we ask Dual you ask Standard Arabic )as'alu( )tas'alu( )tas'aliina( )yas'alu( )tas'alu( )nas'alu( )tas'alaani( Egyptian Arabic )as'al( )tis'al( )tis'ali( )yis'al( )tis'al(

they (masc.) ask they (fem.) ask we ask you (masc.) ask Plural you (fem.) ask they (masc.) ask they (fem.) ask

)yas'alaani( )tas'alaani( )nas'alu( )tas'aluuna( )tas'alna( )yas'aluuna( )yas'alna( )nis'al( )tis'aluu(

)yis'aluu(

Hamzated verbs 3 - perfect mood

( to read)
English I read you (masc.) read Singular you (fem.) read he read she read we read you read Dual they (masc.) read they (fem.) read we read you (masc.) read Plural you (fem.) read they (masc.) read they (fem.) read Standard Arabic )qara'tu( )qara'ta( )qara'ti( )qara'a( )qara'at( )qara'na( )qara'tuma( )qar'aa( )qara'taa( )qara'na( )qara'tum( )qara'tunna( )qara'uu( )qara'na( ('areina) ('areituu) Egyptian Arabic ('areit) ('areit) ('areiti) ('ara) ('arit)

('aruu)

Again, note that while the hamza is kept in the fuSHa conjugations, it is elided in 3ammiyya.

Hamzated verbs 3 - imperfect mood

( to read)
English I read you (masc.) read Singular you (fem.) read he reads she reads we read you read Dual they (masc.) read they (fem.) read we read you (masc.) read Plural you (fem.) read they (masc.) read they (fem.) read Standard Arabic )aqra'u( )taqra'u( )taqra'iina( )yaqra'u( )taqra'u( )naqra'u( )taqra'aani( )yaqra'aani( )taqra'aani( )naqra'u( )taqra'uuna( )taqra'na( )yaqra'uuna( )yaqra'na( )ni'ra( )ti'ru( Egyptian Arabic )a'ra( )ti'ra( )ti'ri( )yi'ra( )ti'ra(

)yi'ru(

Weak verbs ( al-fi3l al-mu3tall)

A verb is "weak" if one of the letters from the verb's three root letters is , There are three different classes of weak verbs; let's begin with: Assimilated verbs

, or .

( al-fi3l al-mitaal)
Verbs where the first radical is a long vowel (usually

).

Assimilated verbs - perfect mood

(to arrive)
English I arrived you (masc.) arrived Singular you (fem.) arrived he arrived she arrived we arrived you arrived Dual they (masc.) arrived they (fem.) arrived we arrived you (masc.) arrived Plural you (fem.) arrived they (masc.) arrived they (fem.) arrived Standard Arabic )waSaltu( )waSalta( )waSalti( )waSala( )waSalat( )waSalna( )waSaltuma( )waSalaa( )waSalataa( )waSalna( )waSaltum( )waSaltunna( )waSaluu( )waSalna( )wiSilna( )wiSiltuu( Egyptian Arabic )wiSilt( )wiSilt( )wiSilti( )wiSil( )wiSlit(

)wiSiluu(

Note that weak verbs beginning with a conjugations.

are just like regular verbs regarding perfect

Assimilated verbs - imperfect mood

(to arrive)
English I arrive you (masc.) arrive Singular you (fem.) arrive he arrives Standard Arabic )aSilu( )taSilu( )taSiliina( )yaSilu( Egyptian Arabic )awSil( )tiwSil( )tiwSili( )yiwSil(

she arrives we arrive you arrive Dual they (masc.) arrive they (fem.) arrive we arrive you (masc.) arrive Plural you (fem.) arrive they (masc.) arrive they (fem.) arrive

)taSilu( )naSilu( )taSilaani( )yaSilaani( )taSilaani( )naSilu( )taSiluuna( )taSilna( )yaSiluuna( )yaSilna(

)tiwSil(

)niwSil( )tiwSilu(

)yiwSilu(

Note that in the imperfect mood, an assimilated verb drops its first letter in fuSHa. In 3ammiyya, however, the initial letter remains.

Weak verbs ( al-fi3l al-mu3tall)

The second kind of weak verb is: Hollow verbs

( al-fi3l al-ajwaf)
Verbs where the second radical is either a

(as with - )or (as with

-); in the perfect, the or is replaced by an alif.

Hollow verbs - perfect mood

( to visit)
English I visited Singular you (masc.) visited you (fem.) visited Standard Arabic )zurtu( )zurta( )zurti( Egyptian Arabic )zurt( )zurt( )zurti(

he visited she visited we visited you visited Dual they (masc.) visited they (fem.) visited we visited you (masc.) visited Plural you (fem.) visited they (masc.) visited they (fem.) visited

)zaara( )zaarat( )zurna( )zurtuma( )zaaraa( )zaarataa( )zurna( )zurtum( )zurtunna( )zaaruu( )zurna(

)zaar( )zaarit(

)zurna( )zurtuu(

)zaaru(

Note that the long vowel is dropped in all conjugations but those for the third-person singular, dual, and plural masculine. When the long vowel is dropped, it is replaced by a short version of the long consonant used in the imperfect conjugation. For example, the

zaara is yazuuru, so a short "u" is used. Other examples: the imperfect conjugation of kaana is yakuunu, so a short "u" is
imperfect conjugation of used for the perfect conjugations where the long vowel is dropped. But the imperfect conjugation of instances. Hollow verbs - imperfect mood

saara is yasiiru, so a short "i" would be used in those ( to visit)

English I visit you (masc.) visit Singular you (fem.) visit he visits she visits Dual we visit

Standard Arabic )azuuru( )tazuuru( )tazuuriina( )yazuuru( )tazuuru( )nazuuru(

Egyptian Arabic )azuur( )tizuur( )tizuuri( )yizuur( )tizuur(

you visit they (masc.) visit they (fem.) visit we visit you (masc.) visit Plural you (fem.) visit they (masc.) visit they (fem.) visit

)tazuuraani( )yazuuraani( )tazuuraani( )nazuuru( )tazuuruuna( )tazurna( )yazuuruuna( )yazurna( )nizuur( )tizuuru(

)yizuuru(

Note that here the long vowel is dropped only for the feminine second and third-person plurals.

Weak verbs ( al-fi3l al-mu3tall)

The third kind of weak verb is: Defective verbs

( al-fi3l an-naaqiS)
Verbs where the final root radical is either a

(as with - )or (as with

-).
Defective verbs - perfect mood

( to forget)
English I forgot you (masc.) forgot Singular you (fem.) forgot he forgot she forgot Standard Arabic )nasiitu( )nasiita( )nasiiti( )nasiya( )nasiyat( Egyptian Arabic )niseit( )niseit( )niseiti( )nisi( )nisyit(

we forgot you forgot Dual they (masc.) forgot they (fem.) forgot we forgot you (masc.) forgot Plural you (fem.) forgot they (masc.) forgot they (fem.) forgot Defective verbs - imperfect mood

)nasiina( )nasiituma( )nasiyaa( )nasiyataa( )nasiina( )nasiitum( )nasiitunna( )nasiyuu( )nasiina( )niseina( )niseitu(

)nisyu(

( to forget)
English I forget you (masc.) forget Singular you (fem.) forget he forgets she forgets we forget you forget Dual they (masc.) forget they (fem.) forget we forget you (masc.) forget Plural you (fem.) forget they (masc.) forget they (fem.) forget Standard Arabic )ansa( )tansa( )tansiina( )yansa( )tansa( )nansa( )tansaani( )yansaani( )tansaani( )nansa( )tansuuna( )tansana( )yansuuna( )yansuna( )ninsa( )tinsu( Egyptian Arabic )ansa( )tinsa( )tinsi( )yinsa( )tinsa(

)yinsu(

The Arabic verb forms

Most Arabic words are derived from a three-letter (trilateral) root. And each trilateral Arabic root can theoretically be transformed into one of fifteen possible verb forms (

, al-awzaan).

(Forms 11 through 15 are very rare, so people usually just focus on forms 1 through 10, although 9 is also pretty rare). Each form has a basic meaning associated with the general meaning of the root being used. Here's a more detailed breakdown, using

(fa3ala, to do) as an example. (This is

all taken from old handouts I got at the AUC, so it's not my original work.) Form 1 -

(fa3ala)

Expresses the general verbal meaning of the root in question Root Form 1 verb (x-r-j) - leaving, departing

(j-m-3) - joining, uniting

(3-m-l) - doing, making

make

(xaraja) - to leave, go out

(jama3a) - to gather, collect (3amala) - to work, to do, to

distance Form 2 -

(q-T-3) - cutting (b-3-d) - separating,

(qaTa3a) - to cut, cut off

(ba3ada) - to be far from

(fa33ala)

Built on form 1 by doubling the middle radical of the form 1 verb (adding a shadda to it) Often is a causative version of the form 1 verb

(s.o.)"

(xaraja) means "to go out";

(xarraja) means "to make (s.o.) go out; to graduate

Often an intensive version of the form 1 verb (especially if the form 1 verb is transitive)

(jama3a) means "to collect, gather";

(jamma3a) means "to amass, to accummulate"

Form 3 -

(faa3ala)

Built on form 1 by adding an alif between the first and second radicals of the form 1 verb Usually gives an associative meaning to the form 1 verb; describes someone doing the act in question to or with someone else

(3amala) means "to work";

(3aamala) means "to treat or deal with (s.o.)"

Form 4 -

(af3ala)

Built on form 1 by prefixing an alif to the form 1 verb and putting a sukuun over the first radical Similar to form 2 in that it is usually a causative version of the form 1 verb

(s.o.)";

(xaraja) means "to go out";

(xarraja) means "to graduate

(axraja) means "to expel, to evict; to produce"

Form 5 -

(tafa33ala)

Built on form 2 by adding the prefix

to the form 2 verb

Often a reflexive version of the form 2 verb

(xarraja) means "to graduate (s.o.)";

(taxarraja) means "to graduate" (Note:

form 5 is usually intransitive) Sometimes an intensive version of a form 1 verb (jama3a) means "to collect, gather";

(tajamma3a) means "to congregate, to flock

together"

Form 6 -

(tafaa3ala)

Built on form 3 by adding the prefix

to the form 3 verb

Usually a reflexive version of the form 3 verb

(3aamala) means "to treat or deal with (s.o.)";

(ta3aamala) means "to deal with

each other" (Form 6 is usually intransitive)

Form 7 -

(infa3ala)

Built on form 1 by adding the prefix

to the form 1 verb

Usually a reflexive and/or passive version of the form 1 verb

(qaTa3a) means "to cut, to cut off";

(inqaTa3a) means "to be cut off (from); to

abstain (from)"

Form 8 -

(ifta3ala)

Built on form 1 by adding the prefix

to the form 1 verb and placing a sukuun must be placed over

its first radical Often a reflexive version of the form 1 verb

(jama3a) means "to collect, gather";

(ijtama3a) means "to meet; to agree (on)"

Sometimes has a specially derived meaning relative to a form 1 verb

(ba3ada) means "to be far away";

(ibta3ada) means "to avoid"

Form 9 -

(if3alla)

Built on form 1 by adding the prefix adding a shadda to the last radical Relates to colors

to the form 1 verb, placing a sukuun over its first radical, and

(H-m-r) relates to "redness";

(iHmarra) means "to become or turn red"

Form 10 -

(istaf3ala)

Built on form 1 by adding the prefix

to the form 1 verb and inserting a

between the first

and second radicals; a sukuun must be placed over the first radical Often a considerative version of the form 1 verb; means "to consider or to deem someone to have the quality" of the form 1 verb in question

(ba3ada) means "to be far away";

(istab3ada) means "to consider s.o. or s.t.

remote or unlikely" Often a requestive version of a form 1 verb; means "to request or to seek something" for oneself

(3amala) means "to make; to do";

(ista3mala) means "to use, to put into

operation" (that is, to seek to make something work for oneself)

And here's a table of all the verb forms, including their perfect and imperfect conjugations

( ), and verbal nouns ( soon as you can; it'll really come in handy.

), active and passive participles (

). Because they're all regular and predictable (with the

exception of form 1 - the second vowel in the imperfect and perfect conjugations, and the verbal noun), if you just memorize them, you'll know them for almost every verb there is. So if you're learning Arabic, I suggest you memorize all the verb forms along with their associated meanings as

or

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10

The imperative in Egyptian Arabic

Forming direct commands Expressing indirect/polite wishes Forming direct negative commands Expressing indirect negative commands

Forming direct commands

To form commands in Egyptian Arabic, step 1 is to start out with the imperfect form of the verb (

(yiHoTT) to put (yiruuH) to go

). A few examples:

(yimi) to go/walk (yiftaH) to open

Step 2 is to get rid of the

at the beginning:

( HoTT) ( ruuH)
beginning.

( mi) ( ftaH)
at the

Step 3 is to determine whether you can leave the verb like that or need to add an

If the verb is like the verbs in the left-hand column (i.e. "HoTT," "ruuH"), and has a consonant followed by a vowel, you leave it alone. This is the correct command form.

But if the verb is like those on the right, and has a consonant cluster at the beginning, you can't leave it that way and say "mi" or "ftaH." In Egyptian Arabic, consonant clusters like that aren't allowed at the start of words. So you have to add an

at the beginning:

( imi) ( iftaH)
This is the formula for a command to a man. So, step 4: in order to formulate commands to a woman or to a group, you just add an -i or -u suffix, respectively.

- ( HoTTi - HoTTu) - ( ruuHi ruuHu)

- ( imi - imu) - ( iftaHi iftaHu)

Note: With defective verbs, where the base verb ends in a vowel (as with the ending vowel before adding -i or -u. Some more examples:

), you get rid of

Step 1 original verb

Step 2 take out the initial

Step 3 masc. command form

Step 4 fem./pl. command form

(yistin
na) to wait

( stin
na)

( istin
na)

- ( isti
nni istinnu)

(yiS
Ha) to wake up

( SH
a)

( iSH
a)

- ( iS
Hi - iSHu)

(yinsa)
to forget

( nsa)

( insa)

- ( insi
- insu)

A table of some common commands:

Step 1 original verb

Step 2 take out the

Step 3 command form

Step 4 fem./pl. command

initial

( i3m
el)

form

(yi3mel
) to do/make

( 3mel
)

- ( i3m
eli - i3melu)

(yirga
3) to return

( rga3
)

( irga
3)

- ( irg
a3i - irga3u)

(yigri)
to run

( gri) ( nzil) ( tkalli

m)

( igri
)

- ( igri igru)

(yinzil)
to go down

( inzil) ( itkalli
m)

- ( inzili
- inzilu)

(yitkalli
m) to talk

- ( itkal
limi itkallimu)

(yiftikir
) to remember

( ftikir
)

( iftiki
r)

- ( ifti
kri - iftikru)

(yita
il) to work

( ta
il)

( ita
il)

- ( ita
li - italu)

(yiayy
ar) to change s.t.

( ayy
ar)

( ayya
r)

- ( ayy
ari - ayyaru)

 (yikallim
) to talk (to s.o.)

( kallim) ( saa
3id)

( kallim) ( saa3
id)

- ( kallim
i - kallimu)

(yisaa
3id) to help

- ( saa
3idi saa3idu)

(yizaak
ir) to study

( zaak
ir)

( zaaki
r)

- ( zakr
i - zakru)

(yi'uum)
to get up/rise

'( uum) ( iil)

'( uum) ( iil)

- '( uumi
- 'uumu)

(yiiil)
to carry

- ( iili iilu)

So to sum up with a simplified rule: if the verb is any of the following, you don't need to add an the beginning of the command.

to

form 2 verbs

(yiayyar) (yigarrib)

form 3 verbs

to change (s.t.) to try/test

(yisaa3id) (yiHaawil)

geminate/doubled verbs

to help to try/attempt

(yirodd)

to reply

 (yiboSS)

hollow verbs

to look

(yiruuH) (yisiib)
and

to go to leave

Note: With hamzated verbs that have a long alif right after the initial

(like

yaaxod

yaakol), you remove both the inital

and the long alif in step 2. So the commands for

these verbs are koli - kolu).

- -

(xod - xodi - xodu) and

- -

(kol -

And if the verb isn't in one of those categories, you do need to add an command. Note: There are a couple of irregular commands:

to the beginning of the

Verb

Command forms

- ( gaab yigiib) to bring

- - ( haat - haati
- haatu)

- ( geh - yiigi) to
come

- - ( ta3aala ta3aali - ta3aalu)

Expressing indirect/polite wishes

To express a more polite/indirect desire for someone to do something, there are different ways to go about it: You can use modals with the appropriate second-person imperfect verb conjugation:

...( laazim...)
you must/have to...

...( il-mafruuD)
you should...

...( aHsan...)
it'd be better to...

...( mumkin...)
can you...?

Words like

are more imperative.

is better to use with people you don't know; in

general, it's the best all-purpose polite way to phrase a request. And of course it's always good to say "please"!

- - - -
Examples:

(min faDlak - min faDlik - min faDluku)

(law samaHt - law samaHti - law samaHtu)

(laazim tifakkar fil-mawDuu3

min gamii3 nawaHiih 'able ma taaxod qaraar) You should think about the issue from every angle before you make a decision.

( kaan il-mafruuD
tiwSil min zamaan) You should have arrived a long time ago.

( aHsan tixallaS il-kolliyya

'able ma titgawwiz) It'd be better to finish college before you get married.

( mumkin tiwarriini
s-sikka?) Can you show me the way?

Forming direct negative commands

To form basic direct negative commands, forget about how you formed commands above. Step 1 is starting out with the appropriate second-person imperfect conjugation of the verb.

( tiHoTT) you (masc.)

put

( timi) you (masc./fem.)

go/walk

( tiruuHi) you (fem.)

( tiftaHu) you (pl.) open

go
Step 2: put

( matHoTTe) ( matruuHii)
at the beginning and

at the end.

( matimii) ( matiftaHuu)

That's it! A table of negative commands, using the same words as the big table above.

Step 1 original verb - 2nd person

Step 2 add

and

Fem./pl. forms

( ti3mel)
you do/make

( mati3mel
)

- ( mati3meli
i - mati3meluu)

( tirga3
) you return

( matirga
3)

- ( matirga
3ii - matirga3uu)

( tigri)
you run

( matigrii
)

- ( matigrii
- matigru)

( tinzil)
you go down

( matinzil
)

- ( matinzilii
- matinziluu)

( titkalli
m) you talk

(matitkall
im)

- ( matitkall
imii - matitkallimuu)

( tiftikir)
you remember

( matiftik
ir)

- ( matiftik
rii - matiftikruu)

( tita
il) you work

(matita
il)

- ( matita
lii - matitaluu)

( tiayya
r) you change s.t.

( matayyar
)

- ( matayy
arii - matayyaruu)

( tikallim)
you talk (to s.o.)

( matkallim
)

- ( matkallim
ii - matkallimuu)

( tisaa
3id) you help

(matsa3
id)

- ( matsa3
idii - matsa3iduu)

( tizaaki
r) you study

( matzak
ir)

- ( matzakr
ii - matzakruu)

( ti'uum)
you get up/rise

( mat'um
)

- ( mat'umii
- mat'umuu)

( tiiil)
you carry

( matil)

- ( matilii matiluu)

To negate those two irregular imperatives, you just do the two steps described above.

Verb - 2nd person

Negated command forms

- - ( tigiib - tigiibi -

- - ( matgib - matgibii -

tigiibu) you bring

matgibuu)

- - ( tiigi - tiigi - tiigu)

you come

- - ( matgii - matgii matguu)

Expressing indirect negative commands

And aside from the direct negated imperative, there are a few other ways to tell someone not to do something: 1. Use

(balaa) with the appropriate second-person imperfect verb conjugation. This is not

as strong as a direct negative order; it can have the connotation of a polite request or even mere advice/preference on behalf of the person talking. If you saw a friend standing in the street to catch a bus and there was a place to sit nearby, you might say,

aari3, aHsan-lak te'3od gowwa) "No need to wait like that in the street, it'd be better for you to sit inside."

(balaa tistinna kida fe-

them,

can also be used with a

If you were in a library and there were a bunch of children making noise nearby, you could tell

"No noise, kids." 2. Use

(balaa dawa ya welaad)

(ew3a) with the appropriate second-person imperfect verb conjugation. Note that if

you're addressing a woman, group, it becomes

changes to

(ewa3i), and if you're addressing a

(ewa3u). This word can have different connotations depending on how

it's used; it can be a "watch out/take care!" kind of statement (like warning, or a very strong "Don't dare do that!" kind of statement.

often is), a

If someone tall was going into a room with a low door, you might tell them,

(ew3a raasak)

Watch out for your head. If someone was waiting and waiting for someone who wasn't going to come, you could say,

Don't keep waiting for him forever. To warn someone not to forget their cellphone:

(ew3a tifDal mistinnyaah 3ala Tuul)

(ewa3i tinsi mobaylek)

If you'd had an argument with someone and were really mad at them: Don't dare talk to me again, I don't want to see your face again!

! ( ew3a tkallemni taani, ana mi 3ayza auuf wiak taani!)

3. And finally, there's

(iiyyaak) with the appropriate second-person imperfect verb

conjugation. Note that if you're addressing a woman, you're addressing a group, it becomes

(iiyyaaku).

changes to

(iiyaaki), and if

is from fuSHa but used

colloquially to express a very strong prohibition (like "Don't you dare do that!!"). However, if it's used with someone you know well in a context that isn't angry, it doesn't necessarily express such strong feeling.

Don't eat any of my food that's in the fridge!

(iiyaaki takli min akli fet-tallaaga)

[Index: Only topics marked EA follow.] Arabic grammar lessons arabic.desert-sky.net

Here are some pages I put together on Arabic grammar. Most of this information focuses on Egyptian Arabic, but some material on standard Arabic is also included. I've used a lesson covers Egyptian Arabic and Articles & the sun and moon letters
MSA EA EA

to indicate that

to indicate that a lesson covers (modern) standard Arabic.

- information on the definite article, its use, and the "sun

and moon letters" (rules of assimilation of the -l of the definite article). Nouns
EA

- information on how to inflect nouns for gender and number (make them feminine, dual,

and plural). Adjectives

EA

- definition of what adjectives are and how to inflect them for gender and number. A

list of common, basic adjectives. Information on the rules of adjective agreement with nouns, and how to form nisba adjectives.

Comparative and superlative adjectives

EA

- how to form the "elative" adjective forms that are used

for comparisons. How to make both comparative and superlative statements. Adverbs manner). Subject and object pronouns Possessive pronouns examples. Demonstrative and relative pronouns with examples of usage. The genitive construct and other ways to express possession the
EA EA MSA EA MSA EA MSA EA

- lists of common adverbs, arranged by type (adverbs of time, place, degree, and

- tables of the subject and object pronouns in Arabic.

- tables of the possessive pronouns, with notes on usage and

- tables of the demonstrative and relative pronouns,

- information on

construct that indicates possession, and on prepositions that can also be used for the

same purpose. Introduction to the Arabic sentence

EA MSA

- the basic types of Arabic sentences, definition of

subject and predicate, and how to negate sentences. Asking questions

EA MSA

- information on how to ask questions in Arabic, covering questions using

interrogative words (who, what, when, where, how, why, etc.), yes/no questions, and questions posing alternatives to choose from. The verb forms
MSA

- information on the different verb forms and their associated meanings, and a

table of all the verb forms including their perfect/imperfect conjugations, active/passive participles, and verbal nouns. Verb conjugations
EA MSA

- information on the different types of sound and weak verbs, and

conjugation tables for verbs of each type. Verb tenses

EA

- information on the past, simple present, present continuous, and future tenses:

how to use them and negate them, with examples. Modals

EA MSA

- information on modals, including examples of usage.

EA

The imperative

- how to form and negate commands, including tables showing the steps to do

this and examples. The active participle

EA

- the usage of the active participle, including examples, how to derive the

active participle from verbs, and a table of commonly-used active participles. The passive participle
EA

- the usage of the passive participle, including examples and how to

derive the passive participle from verbs. Conditional statements lots of examples.
EA

- how to form possible and impossible conditional statements, including

Numbers

EA

- the numbers from 0 to 1 billion, information on how to read out long numbers, and

noun-number constructions. Case endings

MSA

- information on the nominative, genitive, and accusative cases: when and how

to use them, with examples. kaana, inna, and Zanna and their sisters
MSA

- information on these verbs, which shift part of the

sentence they're in to the accusative case; includes examples.